They tell me what to wear, how to look, what I should say, how I should be. Until recently I had given into that pressure, I lost sight of who I was. I listened to opinions of people and I tried to change who I am because I thought others would accept me for it. And I realized I don't know how to be anything but myself.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself despite external pressures to conform.
In this quote, Selena Gomez reflects on the struggle of conforming to societal expectations and the resultant loss of personal identity. She describes a journey of trying to fit into molds that others have created for her, only to realize that authenticity is essential to her self-acceptance. Ultimately, embracing one's true self is portrayed as a vital realization for personal fulfillment and happiness.
In practice
During a motivational speech about self-acceptance and finding one's identity.
People are like, 'Be yourself, be yourself,' and I'm still trying to figure out who that is. I know I'm not perfect, but I know I have a lot of people that support me and love me, and I don't want to let anyone down, so I just try to be the best that I can be.
I am in competition with no one. I have no desire to play the game of being better than anyone. I am simply trying to be better than the person I was yesterday.
There's one thing I do wanna say. It's that every single one of you are just beautiful the way you are, every message that I get from you guys it just hurts me. Beacuse , if there is one person who knows what its like to get bullied, I get bullied a lot but you guys are so beautiful, please don't listen to any of that, ever, ever, ever from your school, from anything. You guys are perfect
You are not defined by an Instagram photo, by a 'Like,' by a comment. That does not define you.
A great burden was lifted from my shoulders the day I realized that no one owes me anything.
There's this tendency to be like, 'Where's the negative stuff? How valid is the criticism?' But honestly, what people think of me is none of my business. If I live on the Internet looking for public approval, I'm going to be miserable.
We are always on the anvil; by trials God is shaping us for higher things.
It's all about knowing that everybody that you see, everybody that you sit across from is a different aspect of yourself. So once you can accept yourself on every level, that's when everything opens up, that's when the party really begins.
I am tired of the position of the dried-up critic and doubter. The believer is the true full man. (from a biography of James by Robert D. Richardson)
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