Hey there! I hope you all had a relaxing holiday, despite Omicron running rampant. I spent time with family while limiting the people I came into contact with. It was nice to catch up on some reading, learn a new board game (Root is awesome!), play some video games, and simply relax.

A new year means new resolutions. Personally, I don’t like calling them “resolutions”. What I’ve enjoyed doing over the last few years is reflecting on the past year and writing a retrospective on how things went. I find that the practice helps me learn and appreciate all of the prior year’s happenings, both positive and negative. I’d recommend that you perform a similar review yourself.

On that note, let’s dive in!

In the past year, my sessions with my therapist brought to light a key personality trait that’s defined my social behavior and thinking: the social chameleon.

On the surface, it seems like this would be desired behavior. Humans are social creatures and, as such, crave strong social bonds with one another. Social chameleons mimic the behavior of others in order to be liked or welcomed into a social group.

The problem? This type of behavior can mask one’s own sense of self. Who are you really when you’re not imitating other people’s mannerisms or way of thinking?

I’ve been a social chameleon all of my life. While it’s served me in some ways, it’s done me a lot of harm when it comes to showing others who I really am. It’s a behavior that I’m more aware of and hope to improve over time. It won’t be easy, but I’m convinced that in the long run, being myself will make me happier.

Below I’ve shared a link to an article and two films that touch on the importance of staying true to your own identity.

That’s all for now, folks! Send me an email or message with any feedback that you have, both positive and constructive. Take care and thanks for reading!