The Chameleon

When I was in high school, I floated between social groups.

I could blend in almost anywhere.

I called myself a chameleon, and I was proud of it.

At the time, I thought it was a strength.

Now, looking back from my 40s, I see it differently.

What I called adaptability was often a strategy for belonging.

I learned how to read a room.

How to become what was needed.

How to fit.

For a long time, that felt safer than standing out.

Safer than risking rejection.

But there is a hidden cost to constantly blending in.

If you're always adjusting yourself to belong, it becomes harder to know who you are when no one else is around.

These days, I think about belonging differently.

I'd rather be known for who I am than accepted for who I'm pretending to be.

Not everyone will like that version of me.

That's okay.

The goal is no longer fitting in everywhere.

The goal is belonging without leaving myself behind.