Most of the time, we will display to the world the type of person we want them to see. We appear happy, optimistic, we laugh, we play, we have a jolly good time. I think more often than not, it can be really easy to keep up this act, even when our hearts are broken into a million pieces. Why do we do this though? Why do we pretend to be something that we are not? I for one, think that there can be both good and bad things with doing this, and will speak of them here.
The Good:
Know the saying "practice makes perfect"? OF COURSE YOU DO, we all do. Our parents barraged us with the darn saying all the time. At least mine did. Anyway, this saying does have truth to it. (Thanks mom and dad.) I believe that as we put effort into changing our attitudes towards more positive things, that slowly, over time, our attitudes can change to fit that persona. We slowly become the person that we are pretending to be.
Of course, it isn't to be said that simply pretending to be happy will have all of the desired effects of making us happy, but it can be something that contributes to our happiness. Being happy takes a lot of work, and every little thing helps. We cannot just rely on one or two things in order to be happy, we have to build a network of small things that intertwine, so that when one thing goes wrong, we still have a 100 little reasons to be happy. I promise you that if you take the time to list off the things you have to be thankful for, the list will go on and on, surprising you.
The Bad:
Well, not everything IS ok all the time. Being sad is simply a part of life. If we pretend to be happy so much, that we don't even confide in people we trust and tell no one about our struggles, all of our bottled up feelings can tend to explode in horrible displays. No one is without pain, and keeping that pain locked up is one of the leading causes of more pain, at least this has been my experience. Maybe you find that when you bottle things up, you are better off? Maybe? Probably not. Try to be happy, and smile, but don't bottle up your feelings and hurt yourself.
In conclusion, I would just like to say that the way we perceive people is often not how that person perceives themselves, nor would I say it is always who they really are. When you look at someone, try to see them for who they really are, not for who you want them to be. Life isn't black and white, we are all complex beings with complex makeups. Don't stereotype, don't assume, and don't hold bias. I hope you can strive to be happy with me, even though we are all broken a little inside.
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