When I first moved to LA almost 16yrs ago, plenty of well-intentioned people gave me advice on how to survive Los Angeles and all I heard was: be everything you're not. I was so impressionable in my 20s that I took it all in and lost myself. I became confused. 

But it didn't start there. I've spent many years abandoning myself. As a young child, I wanted to be more like my favorite pop stars, more like my favorite actors, even my favorite characters in films/books. I wanted to look more like (fill in the blank), I wanted to live like (fill in the blank), I wanted to be like my favorite teacher, I wanted to be like the cool kid at school, and I forced myself to be an extrovert - to be liked - when really, I'm an introvert. I didn't even know I was an introvert for the longest time. Sad but true. I wanted to be everyone but me.

I became so disoriented/overwhelmed in LA with who I "should" be that eventually, I just gave up on being anything and anyone. Just be me. And that's when I started to thrive. That's when my life changed. Once I stopped abandoning myself. Once I accepted that I am enough, just as I am. That's when I experienced peace and confidence. It hasn't been time wasted as I've experienced/discovered/grown/matured. But it was a long and roundabout way of arriving back at myself... I no longer put people on pedestals. It creates the illusion that others are more important or better or more special. It creates separation. Inferiority and insecurity comes from the ego too. 

And just like me, each and everyone of you/us - are enough. Just as you are. Yes, you. May this share, bring you peace. None of us came here to be a copy, a duplicate, a wannabe. May you be, who you came here to be and bless the world with your beingness. Love you.