Have you ever noticed how the best advice in life is usually the simplest? We hear it over and over again, people tell us the same thing, we nod our heads like we understand, and then we go right back to doing what we’ve always done. Sometimes it’s not because we don’t believe the advice. I think it’s because we just aren’t ready to hear it yet.

For me, that advice has always been, “Just be yourself.” It sounds so easy when someone else says it, doesn’t it? Just be yourself. Don’t worry about what everyone else is saying or doing. The people who are meant to be in your life will love you for who you are, and the people who don’t… well, there’s probably nothing you could do to change their minds anyway. I’ve heard those words from a lot of people over the years, but the two who have stuck with me the most are my counsellor and my little sis, Melissa. They have both encouraged me more than they’ll probably ever know, and honestly, I don’t know where I’d be without them.

Looking back, I don’t think I ignored their advice. I just don’t think I was in the right season of my life. I spent so much time wondering where I fit in, worrying about what people thought of me, trying to keep everyone happy, and hoping that if I tried just a little harder, everyone would like me. The truth is, that’s an impossible job. No matter what you do, someone isn’t going to agree with you, someone won’t understand you, and someone will probably have an opinion about the way you’re living your life. The older I’m getting, the more I realize that’s okay.

There wasn’t one big moment where everything suddenly made sense. No light bulb went off. No dramatic turning point. It happened slowly. One conversation at a time. One lesson at a time. One day I simply caught myself thinking, “I deserve better.” Not a bigger house or more money or some perfect life. I deserve to be kinder to myself. I deserve to stop apologizing for who I am. I deserve to rest when I’m tired, to laugh when something is funny, and to stop feeling guilty for not being able to make everyone happy.

I’m still learning how to do that. I still catch myself worrying sometimes. I still wonder if people will accept the real me. But I’m getting better at reminding myself that the right people won’t expect me to become someone else. They’ll simply appreciate me for being me. I think that’s what my counsellor and Melissa have been trying to tell me all along, and maybe for the first time, I’m finally starting to believe them.

These days, I’m learning that trying to please everyone is exhausting, and it’s a battle I’ll never win. So instead of chasing everyone’s approval, I’m going to keep working on something much more important… becoming the person I’m happiest being. I have a feeling that’s exactly where I was meant to end up all along.

What’s one piece of advice that didn’t make sense until later in life? I’d love to hear your story.

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… it’s about learning to dance in the rain.

Stay kind. Stay grateful. YOU Matter!

Shelly 💜