Question

A short story that begins with"If I had known earlier"​

Answer 1

As teens, it seems to matter what everyone thinks of us, especially our friends. Throughout our lives, this does not necessarily go away for most of us. We care what our parents think of us (for some right into their ripe old age), our co-workers, our friends, partners, etc. But as most of us know – this can be both draining and like chasing our own tail. We cannot ever make everyone around us happy – and the truth is, we shouldn’t. Each person has to find their own inner happiness. We need to be allowed to be who we are. This goes back to point number one. Because my thinking and lifestyle are so different from the mainstream, I had a choice – be myself regardless of what others think, or stop being myself to fit in and make others comfortable. I think you know what I chose. It feels so good to be at a point in my life where I know who I am and my confidence allows me to be “me” without adjusting myself to fit in with others.