Note to Myself No. 23

A few days ago, I talked about my essence statements.

Who I am, both personally and professionally.

I really don't feel a discrepancy between

the two personas. . . I think I'm fully me

the vast majority of the time

(although in my attorney persona, I'm a bit more serious

and official and straight-line than the rest of the time,

though these days I'm not inhabiting my attorney persona

most of the time).

A young woman, in her teens or slightly beyond,

asked me about that

and how to really be her authentic self

100 percent of the time

no matter who she's with.

She was feeling like a chameleon, changing her colors

depending on who she was with.

Remember in the movie The Runaway Bride

that the Julia Roberts character loved her eggs best

when they were scrambled, poached, or sunny-side-up

depending on the preferences of the man

she was in love with at the time?

You can't be authentically yourself

until you've had time to grow into your fullness

and say

I am who I am,

with all of my quirks and shiny bits,

and I am fabulous.

Whether anyone appreciates that fact or not.