All my life I have been different. As a black person, I didn’t quite fit in with the other black kids. As a person in general, I never belonged to any specific group. I wasn’t preppy, emo, urban, etc. I am just Ashley and even though I felt left out and isolated I never once felt like I had to be something that I’m not nor did I have the desire to fully fit in.
Now, I find it fascinating at age 30, that people still don’t understand my personality. I’m not a loud in-your-face kinda person. Nothing wrong with it but it’s like people expect that from me. It’s even more prevalent with this obsession with looking perfect on social media. I still haven’t felt the need to take a picture of myself and photoshop it to hell. The concept of TikTok doesn’t appeal to me. While I’m still adamant on staying the way I am. I can’t help but feel frustrated when told I need to change.
It’s hard staying true to yourself when the world is constantly telling you, you need to have money, look better, do something that goes viral. When in reality, you really don’t care. You aren’t addicted to attention online and don’t have the desire to fake a lifestyle in order to impress a bunch of people you don’t even know. It’s actually very silly when you think about it. If you’re a mellow, quiet person, people actually think there’s something wrong with you. I have to chuckle at that because the idea that someone not following the crowd makes one “wrong” is absurd.
For anyone who feels like they aren’t good enough or feel pressured to follow the trends, YOU ARE ENOUGH. You don’t have to do anything to impress people. The people who like you for you are the ones who matter the most. If you can look at yourself in the mirror and be content with what you see looking back at you, don’t change a thing.
I’m a stoic, deep-thinking chick with a resting bitch-face and I am happy with who I am. Be brave enough to be yourself.
