I have wasted A LOT of energy and time being concerned with the acceptance of others and frankly, it is exhausting and a bit like repeatedly putting on uncomfortably tight jeans. You know the ones that you should have thrown out years ago but for some reason, keep wearing them anyway? Fact: you lose oxygen to your brain while wearing them so that judgement might not be too sound (Seriously, throw them out). We all need a space where we can show up and be real. This is my space. These are my comfy pants. I am not interested in gaining approval. What I am interested in is being so honest here that it scares me to type it out. There’s a big risk here that I’m taking and it’s one of being misunderstood. That is and has always been one of my deepest fears. From my experience, when I take that risk, two things may occur: the first being some seriously awkward moments with people that actually feel like hours of anxious head-spinning trauma. NBD. The second and most beautifully profound thing is that, for a moment, I feel a little more human, a little less like an actor and more like, well, a regular person. Whatever that means. It’s like my heart shoots a paper airplane reminder to my head that reads, “You don’t have to be perfect all the time. Love you.”

It is my sincere hope my words bring you peace of mind and peace of heart. Whatever that feels like to you. Maybe you might remember how perfectly imperfect you are. If the opposite occurs and you feel judgey and angry, take a deep breath, put on some comfy pants, and let yourself find the x nearby.

– V