Feeling Invisible To The World

Read time: 3 mins

Quote of the Week:

“Your need for acceptance can make you invisible in this world. Don't let anything stand in the way of the light that shines through this form. Risk being seen in all of your glory.” - Jim Carrey

In this week's dose, I share my thoughts on the quote of the week.

Did you feel the weight of that quote when you read it?

Read it again.

What this means to me is that when we are so driven to be accepted by others, we change, shape, and disfigure ourselves in an attempt to be accepted.

We change what we wear, what cars we buy, the neighborhood we live in, how we speak, what we don't say, the foods we eat, the drinks we consume…

We push down our uniqueness so we can feel part of the tribe. We’re constantly wearing different masks depending on what environment we find ourselves in.

And the irony is, in the process of trying to fit in and be accepted, we completely lose ourselves.

We forget who we truly are underneath it all. So even if we are “accepted” by others, it’s not the real us so it feels empty. It feels like some puzzle piece is missing.

When we can fully understand that we were meant to bring our uniqueness to the world and begin to act on that, we experience a different type of freedom. We attract the people who were meant to be attracted to this unique, weird-ass self that we are.

But if we continue to live up to someone else’s rubric for life, we will always feel a sense of emptiness or like something is missing.

In high school, I have a vivid memory of trying to enter into the “popular” friend group. Literally a circle of people during breaks and lunch that I would try and nudge my way into, but I always found myself on the outside. I tried so hard day after day to fit in with them, but it never happened. And I felt invisible.

Instead of leaning into the people who liked me for me and didn’t require me to change who I was in order to hang out with me. Something I’m still learning and working on today.

It’s exhausting wearing a mask every day. Whether at work, around town, or in your relationships.

What masks are you still wearing?

How would it feel if you were able to take those off for good?

Tim