As if the world demands you to apologize for being you, and this demand is something we all struggle with…

But I'm going to give you a totally new perspective to that sentence…

It's not the world that is holding you back

it's your belief that the world doesn't allow you to be you that makes you struggle and fight yourself forward.

Good leadership is not about you being unapologetically you and demanding the world to accept you for who you are…

Because that is all about you and your needs my friend, instead its about leading people to what they are longing for deep down in their heart by taking the lead.

Let me give you an example.

Two days ago, my partner and I attended a 30th birthday party with a live band (and my partner plays the drums in that funk band).

It's very uncommon for me to go to that type of parties, so I took the only dress I have that fits my body nowadays and a pink lipstick and I was ready to go. I felt comfortable being me.

At the party I danced the way my body felt like dancing. I let the music lead my body and I LOVED every move I did.

But I was aware I danced differently than others.

I saw others dancing, but most of them looked like they were holding themselves back. They were dancing with each other, mimicking each other's moves. And for many years, that was how I enjoyed the dancefloor too when I was younger, because otherwise I wouldn't feel comfortable dancing.

And I just want to say, there's nothing wrong with that! It's totally normal and watching people when they danced together on the dancefloor made me happy.

BUT I honestly chosed NOT to dance with others, because I realized dancing with others meant I needed to adapt and mimic their moves instead of letting my body move as it wished to. I was happy and I did NOT hold myself back.

AND here's the thing! I knew, doing my own thing would inspire people to do more of their own thing.

And people came to me afterwards and said “wow your earrings are so beautiful” and “wow your dress is so beautiful”.

But LET ME TELL YOU , my earrings were ordinary, and my dress was not more special than anyone else's.

The only difference was; I was comfortable and happy being me...

It wasn’t my earrings or my dress that inspired people to comment on my look. It was how I shined WITHOUT holding myself back.

And I knew that letting my body dance the way it felt too, gives value to everyone around me.

Being me gives you value.

Because when I allow myself to have permission to be me.

…I also give you permission to be you.

And it's the same when it comes to my online presence!

There is a REASON I have a big community of followers that read my posts.

I don't write in order to convince you to accept me for who I am…

I write this post to inspire you to be you… Because YOU bring value to this world.

Be you, and don't adapt your dancing to people that dont give themselves permission to dance the way their body wants to move!

Do you give yourself permission to be you in the online space? What does that mean to you?