Everybody pretending, reinforcing the notion that nobody would like you as you are, because you aren’t actually being who you are. You’re being who you think you should be, or what you think people will ‘like’ or ‘approve’ of. Perceptions of Self looks at the idea of self and how we think we are viewed, and in turn, how we then perceive others. And another article currently underway, Seeing Yourself, also touches on viewpoints of self and how that may affect what we put out there for others to see.

But not everyone will like everyone. It’s just how it is. Kind of how people have likes and dislikes for fashion, food, and other things, certain people can be what they call ‘an acquired taste’ as well. Because we use our senses to judge whether we take to something or not, and for all sorts of different reasons we either do, or do not like something. It’s easy to just take off a jumper if you don’t like the feel of it, or to avoid food you don’t particularly like, and also can be easy to go out of your way to gravitate towards things you do enjoy or like. People are the same in a way, because you may not always know why you do or don’t want to be around them, but your senses tell you, it’s for you or is not. But it isn’t always as easy to avoid people, especially if you are related to them, work or live with them, or you aren’t in a position to be able to avoid them.

So, we do our best to work out whether people are being genuine or not, but do we give as much thought we whether we ourselves are being genuine? It is understood I believe, that people have what we might call ‘different versions of themselves’, where we put on different ‘hats’ as they say to get into the mindset of that required persona. Your work hat, your game face, your professional self, your party self etc. Getting ‘into character’ by way of outfits, general appearance and attitude. Be the best version of yourself is another saying that pops up, and one that does indeed capture the meaning I guess of what I am saying. Because to be the best version, it would imply there is more than one version available.

But being ‘comfortable in your own skin’ is a term I have heard over the years we well. My article Getting To Know Yourself looks at the idea of how perhaps you try to find out who you are. These days, it seems more important than ever to know what and who you are dealing with. What they are, and what their motive and intention might be, as well as your own in these deceptive times…

(c) K Wicks