It seems common in today’s day in age to be completely cynical and closed off in most serious matters of life.

Between heartbreaks and hardships it seems easier to push your emotions to the side and never reveal what you’re really thinking or feeling. I understand that, I’ve been there, but in doing so you are closing yourself off from so many opportunities.

If you know me at all, you know I wear my heart on my sleeve. From my facial expressions, to my body language, all the way to the words shooting out of my mouth faster than I can think them through, you will always know what i’m thinking and feeling. Sure, this is a double edged sword and has most definitely come back and bit me in the butt more than once, but I wouldn’t change the way I am for anything.

In opening myself up completely, I am definitely vulnerable and more susceptible to getting hurt, but there’s a completely opposite end of that spectrum I get to experience as well. By not saving face, I leave myself open to experience opportunities that other people may be closed off from since they don’t want to risk getting hurt.

In this short time that I have given up on keeping a certain “composed” image of myself, I have met so many great people, people I definitely would not have met otherwise. I have realized I have so much in common with a handful of people I had never even spoken to until I was having a bad day and let it show through. Strangers turned to friends; existing friendships grew stronger.

Alongside my growing friendships, I have learned so much about myself as well. It is not healthy to keep emotions bottled up or thrown to the side, and by letting myself fully feel everything going on in my life, I began to better my mental health as well.

So what if people can “read” you, life isn’t meant to be a guessing game. Show what you feel, live the life you want, and do what YOU need to do.