To be real

Today I'm linking up with other writers at Kate Motaung's blog for Five Minute Friday. A flash mob of writers who write for 5 minutes straight just for the fun of the craft. Silencing the inner critic for just five minutes can be a challenge, but many succeed! Come on over and check out what other writers have written on the prompt, "real". 




I've had a chance to look over the past several years of my life and I can kind of see a divide. 

There were several years that I wasn't sure of who I was. Because of being an extreme compliant people-pleaser, I tried to make myself into someone that would please whomever I happened to be with. This began in early childhood and unfortunately well into adulthood.

Something happened in my late 30's to change all that. A health crisis made me stand up and take a good hard look at myself and to ask myself if I was being true to ME. to who God made me to be and to ask myself the questions like


Who are you, really?
Do you know?
Who do you want people to think you are?
Are you being real?
Are you being true to yourself?
Do people know the real you?

Maybe I didn't ask these questions outright, but I began devouring any book I could get my hands on on the topic of discovering the real me. I would come home from my local library with an armload of self help books. Books that had titles like 


How to say yes in a world that says no. 

How to say no in a world that wants you to always say yes. 


(Yes, I made those both up because I don't remember any specific titles right now!) I'm being real.


How about you? 

Do you know the real you? Do others know the real you? 

Or do they know a pretend you that is trying to please everyone around them.


I tell you what. You might ruffle some feathers when you try to peel off the mask and become the real you.

But, in the end, be strong.
It will be totally worth it.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, friend! I'd love to hear your comments about being "real".
Blessings to you!

~Anne