10/28/2025
There’s a quote that says something like, “You can’t be universally liked and authentic at the same time.” That’s true, but it’s also incomplete. You’ll never be universally liked, full stop. No matter how kind, careful, or agreeable you are, someone will still misunderstand you or dislike you for reasons that have nothing to do with you. Even the most polished performance won’t guarantee applause. So if there’s no promise of being well received, you might as well not be well received for being real.
We’re relational beings. We need one another to grow, learn, and love. But connection isn’t the same as contortion. The moment you start making other people’s comfort your compass, you lose your own sense of direction. You begin to shape yourself around their preferences instead of your principles and path. What starts as empathy and fair compromise slowly turns into self-betrayal.
The real art is balance. Bringing honesty into the world with compassion, loving deeply without losing yourself, and caring without carrying what isn’t yours.
However, living this way takes courage, because it often unsettles those who depend on your compliance. Some people prefer the version of you that makes them comfortable, like being the agreeable one, the one who doesn’t say no, and the one who smooths over tension instead of facing it. When you start choosing yourself, they might pull away, get defensive, or label you as difficult. But that’s a reflection of their attachment to who you used to be for them.
The best way to live isn’t by chasing approval, but by resting in awareness. There’s a quiet centre within you that doesn’t move or change, no matter who praises or rejects you. It’s the space behind your thoughts, the presence that watches it all unfold. When you take a moment to ground yourself there, the highest wisdom naturally rises up to meet you, gently guiding you along the way. Live from there. That’s your truth; your home. It won’t always please others, but it will bring you peace of mind and set you free.
