How Do You Be You?

If you've visited my site, www.free2b.net, you will know I am passionate about this saying. Why?  I am not entirely sure I've figured it out until recently.  I had a haircut scheduled a while ago.  My hair was a little above my shoulders {maybe? } when I went in for my new do. I've been eyeing short hair for a while, but have been nervous to do it.  Like really do it.  So, I had her cut off what I thought was a lot.  However, now that a few weeks have passed, I realize not.  I want it shorter!  Subconsciously, I have been thinking about this and what is behind it.  I think the truth is that so many people I know have long hair and I want to "fit in," "be like them," and not be the odd one out.  It sounds dumb, even as I type this.  I've spent so much of my life trying to fit in, blend in and not stand out that I have likely deprived myself and this world of being my true self.

As I look back, I can pinpoint several reasons why this is the case.  {I'm not going to go into them here, however.}  Let's just say there were times when I was being "me," and felt squashed, embarrassed, etc.  I suppose my coping mechanism was to try to be like everyone else.  I remember being at summer camp, looking around at all the kids there, l was trying to figure out how I could be more like them and less like me.  {Does that say shame all over it or what?  Eek!}

I suppose I have carried that around for most of my life, until just recently.  I started a program called the 21 Day Fix  which was focused on clean eating, portion control, exercise, etc.  Long story short, I looked into the company that created the program and did some research on it.  I loved what I saw!  I became familiar with Chalene Johnson, whom I adore! As I was thinking about her and what I liked about her, it was that she wasn't afraid to be herself.  She was confident in who she was, what she was doing and what she was about. And, she was doing something that was new to me....something I have never seen or heard before in all the personal development things I have done.  That is powerful!  {I've done a lot of personal development!}  And, it made me think.....she was not afraid to do something new, something out of the box AND, you know what?  It helped me!  What if my something new, out of the box self was able to help others just by being me?  Duh.

So, I am now committed to the being the REAL MELISSA ROHLFS.  Will the REAL Melissa Rohlfs please stand up?  Why yes, yes, she is standing strong in who her Creator made her to be.