By Case Kenny

Embrace your alter ego

We all have an alter ego.

- You might be familiar with your drunk alter ego. That’s the side of you that comes out when you’re over-served. It's the person who's the life of the party, has no fear, will go to the front of the line and start a conversation with anyone.

- You might also have an alter ego that comes out when you're with your best friends. It's where you're so comfortable around certain people and you give yourself the freedom to be the goofiest, most carefree and fun version of yourself possible.

- You might also have random moments of embracing your alter ego where you summon all of your courage and confidence to do what you know is right for you - finally breaking off that situationship, standing up for yourself, etc.

Your alter ego = the truest version of you (but it's one you ignore most of the time).

It's the version of YOU that you picture in your head doing all the cool sh*t you want to do. It’s the impulse you feel to just dance spontaneously. It's the urge you feel to go up to that random person and introduce yourself. It's the inclination you feel to ask your boss for a raise, to apply to that dream job, to post that bangin' selfie, etc.

Alter ego. It’s Latin. It literally means other self.

Your other self. It’s the freest version of who you are.

It’s the most carefree, goofiest, hardest working, most outgoing, most ambitious and most enthusiastic version of who you are.

BUT in pursuit of comfort in life, of not rocking the boat, of not ostracizing ourselves or seeming overly weird… we’ve taken all of our "crazy" thoughts, all of our weird quirks, all of our "too ambitious" goals and we’ve let them live within that alter ego.

But they're still there.

It’s that little voice that says you should do something uncomfortable. It’s the little voice that says you should tell that joke, do that dance move, email that person, send that dm, book that ticket, etc.

I’m not talking about an alter ego that wants you to go on a crazy bender, max out your credit cards, change your name and move to Mexico.

I’m simply talking about that courageous other self you know still exists within you...

Ask yourself. Who is my alter ego?

What would happen if you embraced it?

What would happen if you...

- did all the things you used to think would push people away?

- lived your high standards instead of worrying they’ll limit your options?

- leaned into your passion, art, music, etc. instead of worrying it’ll make you seem weird?

- embraced your weird, goofy self instead of worrying you’ll lose your friends?

When you step into that person with power and confidence, you’re going to realize that anyone who does not see you or who doesn’t choose you... they cannot possibly be for you. And that's OK.

- It means you call your freakin shot!

- It means you stop watering yourself down to make everyone else feel comfortable.

- It means you try new things because you’re not afraid of being a beginner no matter how old you are.

- It means you have a renewed sense of self worth - it doesn't matter if you’re single or not...

- It means you no longer have relationship problems with people you’re not in a relationship with.

You do all those things because that’s what your alter ego has been dying to do for so long.

It’s what your other self would do on a first date. It’s how your other self would stand up for itself at work. It’s how your other self would be spontaneous and passionate and weird. It’s how your other self would post that selfie, start that business, DM that person, etc.

It’s how that other self would stop talking to their ex, stop tolerating f***boys and stop accepting less.

Embracing your alter ego simply mean means you finally realize you deserve to explore what "more" looks like in your life.

That is your alter ego and I hope you step into it.