| I’m Jacob Katz, and this is The Renewal: an independent, subscriber-supported health newsletter that summarizes free tools for everyday life. If you’re reading this, keep it to yourself. |
So many versions of you exist in people’s minds.
Some know you as the shy person who doesn’t talk.
Others see you as the chatterbox who never stops.
Some perceive you as cold and distant.
Others find you caring and kind.
The gist is: The version of you that you think exists is only your perception.
And even you don’t fully know who that person is.
Every person you meet, have a relationship with, or make eye contact with on the street,
Creates a unique version of YOU in their heads.
This phenomenon is called an interject: a snapshot of you that exists in their minds.
It’s no more real than a photograph of a forest is the actual forest.
These perceptions aren’t necessarily right or wrong; they are reflections of individual experiences with you.
You’re not the same person to your mom, dad, siblings,
As you are to your coworkers, neighbors, or friends.
There are countless versions of you out there, each shaped by the perceptions of those who encounter you.
You’re not responsible for the version of you that exists in others’ minds.
Some versions only exist because others breathe life into them.
And you’re not obligated to maintain those other versions to please others.
Worthwhile people try to understand the real you, though it is never completely possible.
Most are content with the snapshot version they’ve created in their minds.
But at the end of the day, there’s only one you, and you should like that you.
What’s crucial is that you stay true to yourself, rooted in your own values and identity.
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.
Know who you are and let this self-awareness guide you, regardless of how the world perceives you.
Embrace the complexity of perception and find peace in being authentically you.
Because in the end, the best version of you is the one that’s unapologetically yourself.
You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.
Best,
Jacob & The Renewal team
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