Dear Jessica Brennan,
Have you ever walked into a room, looked around at the people there, and felt all of your self-esteem sink through the soles of your shoes? You hear a voice in your head that says, “I don’t belong here”.
Maybe you have just seen one person in that room, and their looks, money, attitude or elegance has been like a vacuum sucking all the confidence out of your belly and leaving you pale and weak.
I don’t mean that you hear the voice you get when you’re in danger, or when you’re wasting your time or when you’ve been roped into doing something you would rather not do, I am talking about that feeling of not being worthy of standing in the company of those who are also in the room.
Let me give you some examples:
- At an out of town wedding
- On the beach
- At a fundraising gala
- At a fancy restaurant
- At a party at a rich person’s home
- In a meeting with other staff
- In a shop that only sells exclusive goods
- In a group of people who all are more gifted than you are in a specific thing
These are just a few places that you might feel like you don’t belong.
If you’re like me, when you get that feeling, you want to excuse yourself and go to the ladies’ room, close the stall door and pull your feet up so you can’t be spotted by some annoying extrovert.
The truth is; you belong.
You know this. You do belong.
You have just as much right to be at the wedding, swim at the pool, attend an event and shop or window-shop in the store. You belong in every room you choose to grace.
You belong in the company of the rich and famous, and the downtrodden. You belong in a room full of beautiful people, artistic people and geniuses. You belong in any store you want to be in, any event that’s open to the public and at any table you wish to dine.
You belong.
So lift your head, and walk right in. Make others feel like they belong too. Because to feel good about wherever you find yourself, the only place you really need to belong, is in your own skin.
Love,
Mum xo