Be Yourself?

How many times have you heard people say “Don’t worry. Just be yourself!” And you’ve groaned silently thinking, “It’s just not that easy!”

You’re right. It’s not. Here’s the thing: “Yourself” is not a simple one-dimensional entity. You are complex, multifaceted, and unique. The question is not “should I be myself or should I conform?” The question is “How can I be my best self in any given situation?”

This statue, called Gatogirafo, stands outside the Museo del Niño (Children’s Museum) in the old city of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was right across the street from our inn, and I was captivated by it immediately. The Gatogirafo sends a great message to children. It’s okay to be strange, different, intriguing, hard to categorize. It’s a whimsical statue standing in an ancient city reminding us that we are each made of a whole bunch of interesting pieces.

The Gatogirafo has a clear place in the world. So do you. But thankfully you are not a statue! You have the power to find places where you best fit in, and you have the creativity to decide how to present yourself in the place you are right now.