there is no original version of 'you'.

Isn’t it weird that there’s so many versions of you that exist in people’s minds?

Some know you as the shy person who won’t talk.

Some know you as the extrovert who won’t stop talking.

Some know you as the kind, the caring one.

Some see you as a bully and intimidating.

The gist is,

the person you think of yourself exists only for YOU.

and even YOU don’t know who that really is.

The idea is that everyone perceives others through their own unique lens, shaped by personal experiences, biases, gossip, emotions, etc.

Boiled down to the fact, there is no singular, original version of a person that highlights the complex nature of their character.

You cannot sum up the complex nature of the person in a sentence.

Some of History’s greatest evil: Stalin, Hitler, Genghis Khan—all of them did awful, inhumane things that humans have detested for centuries.

But they were only as powerful as they were because they were adored by other humans as well.

All of us have these ‘personal filters’ that influence how we perceive others.

Culture, mood, bias, and judgment—all play a part in our minds painting a mental image of what that person might be like. Even if we have never spoken to them.

Every person you meet, have a relationship with, or even make eye contact with down the street, paints their own version of you in their heads that makes sense to them in that moment.

You are not the same person to your mom, your dad, your partner, than you are to your co-workers or your friends.

There are a thousand different versions that exist in people’s minds.

A ‘You’ exists in each version.

And this You, really isn’t someone at all.

Here’s what I think, you cannot be the same to everyone.

Some people may call that fake.

Is it fake? Yes and No.

You have and, are going to meet thousands of people in your lifetime.

Different characters, personalities, and egos.

You joke around and laugh spreading gossip with your boys.

You are warm, approachable when you’re with your co-workers.

You are wild, drunk at parties.

You are calm, smooth on dates.

We all put on different faces, different masks when we walk out the house everyday.

And all of us have masks, so much of ‘em.

Getting to the point, yes it is fake if you appear all trustworthy and safe when you’re with a person, then proceed to talk smack about them behind their back.

Then you don’t have a definition anymore.

What you need then, is a set of morals. Your foundation.

What makes you, YOU.

In a world where there are infinite versions of you, live a life in a way that people CAN sum you up in a sentence.

She’s funny, kind, and serious when it comes to things. She gives the best advice.

He’s a fool and irresponsible, but I know I can depend on him no matter what.

Never ever change these morals of you when you’re switching masks, ‘cause then you lose the meaning of you.

You are not responsible for the versions of you that exist in other people’s minds.

Their version only stays alive as long as they give it oxygen.

You are NOT responsible for keeping those other versions alive, to make other people happy.

They made up those versions of you in their head, you are not responsible if it’s bad or good.

You cannot make everyone happy, remember.

There will always be someone who thinks you are bad. No matter what.

We think more of what people think of us, and less of what we think about ourselves.

So instead of trying to please everyone, do what’s right.

And do what’s right, to you.

Have a good week.