Outfits of Conformity

   When do our oustides stop mirroring our insides? Why do we start to act like someone we're not? It seems we put on an act because we are afraid to show who we are. We're afraid that we won't be accepted or that people won't think we're cool.
   We have friends that we watch our step when we're around, we laugh at different jokes with them, friends that we tell different stories to, and that we do different activities with than possibly we would choose normally to do. We don't feel as comfortable with these friends.
   We all have someone who knows the deep dark details of who we are, what we like, what we can't stand, and what we laugh at. This person, or people, is usually a closer friend than anyone. We even feel comfortable around them. They see behind the mask that we wear and guess what, they still like us!
   From experience we know that we're actually better liked when we're being ourselves! Who we are is better accepted than who we pretend to be. So why don't we learn from this?! Maybe we've realized this before, but keep the mask of our alter ego close by when things get uncomfortable.

   The masks we wear are hot, sweaty, and altogether uncomfortable. After a while of wearing this fear mask we get used to it. We grow accustomed to our discomfort and it becomes the new normal.
   This mask is a lot like clothes. Naturally, we don't have any. We feel more free and comfortable without it, but time and society has taught us to wear it. Taught us that we should wear it. That we cannot be without it.
   So we conform. We do what we can to find something that we can endure, something that fits, and mostly, something attractive. We change our outfits depending on the occasion or crowd. We find a 'style', and that's what we let everyone see.
   We get so used to these outfits of conformity that we begin to feel uncomfortable without them. In general, very few people see us without them. These people however, are the one that like us best. So why are we afraid to show who we really are?

"Create not your outside to be

something with which only the world is pleased."