Will the REAL you please stand up?

"Well, we all have a face that we hide away forever and we take it out and show ourselves when everyone has gone. Some are satin, some are steel, some are silk and some are leather..there the faces of the stranger and we love to try them on." - Billy Joel, 'The Stranger' album

Basically the question we are asking you in the title is: Who are you when you are around other people? Are you being your true authentic self or are you *wearing a mask* and being someone who you really aren't? Are you sending your representative or your true self out into the world?

All of us have an inate desire for people to like us and to be accepted by others. However, what lengths do you go to in order to insure this result when you are with other people?

For example, when we are in the early stages of dating, we often are on our best behavior, and are very much in the *pleaser* stage. We seem to go along with whatever it is that the other person wants to do. We act happy and joyful and REALLY want that other person to like us. Often times we cover up those things that we consider to be *flaws* in ourselves. In a sense we are putting on an act in order for this other person to like us! We are sending in our representative! However, any one who has been married for a while knows that this *representative* can't stay in the marriage forever! Sooner or later you have to let your guard down and be who you were born to be!

The same can be true when we meet people for the first time. We agree with their ideas, their concepts, their politics, and sometimes even their religion all because we want them to accept us. But is that really fair to our authentic self? Isn't it a shame to not let YOUR true voice be heard?

Or, how about when we go on job interviews! In this case, we are truly sending our best representative out there to land the job for us! It is certainly appropriate to put our best foot forward when we are on an interview, but we also need to be ourselves as well.

When we continually send our *representatives* out into the world for us, at the end of the day we come home exhausted! So, why do we wear these *masks* or *send our representatives* instead of our true self? Well, several reasons! One of the main reasons is fear. We fear that if we don't conform to what others expect us to be that they won't like us, we won't get the job, the boyfriend, the promotion, etc. Another reason is that we want to impress people, and we feel as though if we act a certain way or say a certain something, people will like us and be impressed!

This week, we challenge you to leave the representative at home and go out and be your true, authentic, wonderful self! You are unique and this is your gift to share with others! Let your self shine!
Make Today a Masterpiece!
Jen and Leah