on being "you"

while reading gretchen rubin's

the happiness project,

something she mentioned stuck with me...

one of her commandments is to

"be gretchen."

and she said at one point that this philosophy meant

letting go of the things that were inherently "not gretchen"

...even if they were things she would like to like to do

(or she felt would be good for her to do),

like visiting a jazz club at midnight or having a super-chic wardrobe,

they were not a part of who she actually was.

being happy means making time for those things

that make your heart sing.

i often covet the qualities i admire in my friends...

.spontenaiety.

.fashion sense.

.grace & class.

(like this lovely young woman)

but...

yesterday, i was in a situation where

i was meeting many new people

and i noticed while chatting with them

many of the things that make me who i am...

*my cheery personality*

*my ability to laugh at anything*

(and make it contagious)

*my crazy-curly hair*

(that cooperated amazingly for my important day)

so...

i realized that although i will never be the girl

with the amazing fashion sense

who is always well-spoken, witty & put-together

 who can spend ages meandering through an art gallery

and who never says or does the wrong thing,

i am the girl

who makes people feel comfortable in any situation

who wants to help at least one person every day

who is always happy to meet you for

a warm cup of anything & a good chat

who loves to visit civic & social history museums

and who would rather spend hours reading a good book

than go out dancing until four in the morning.

...and i am so happy to be that girl.

happiness doesn't come from achieving or becoming

all the things you think you should,

it comes from finding out

who you really need/want/would love to be,

(or who you already are)

and then happily embracing that person.

weheartit