I spent the first 29 years of my life trying to blend in, believing that in order to be liked, to have friends and to be loved that I must ‘fit in’.

I often hid the ‘real’ me for fear that I wasn’t good enough, cool enough, funny enough, smart enough or pretty enough.  I changed my behaviours, clothes, hair and the way I acted in a desperate attempt to be accepted by my peers. My confident exterior often masked my many insecurities and I lived by the old adage ‘fake it til you make it’. And I did – make it that is, through my teens and twenties, just maybe not in the ‘George’ way I would do it today!

It’s hard to believe that I was ever that person, but back then I allowed the opinions and judgements of others question my own self worth, believing them over the person who knows me best, me! What I didn’t realise when I was younger,  but what I live by today, is that the things which make me a little different are what make me unique, and instead of trying to dull them, I let them sparkle!

I love my red hair, I think freckles are beautiful, I wear clothes that I like and which make me feel good, I like to talk (a lot) and if you put me in a spotlight, I will shine!

By learning to love myself, flaws and all, I realise now that I don’t need to ‘fit in’ and the strength and power that comes from believing that I am good enough just as I am, means that I can go confidently in the direction of my dreams, and that the world is quite literally my oyster! What other people think of me is up to them and I won’t always be everyone’s cup of tea but those who love me, love me just as I am, and for that I am grateful.

So my message to all of the young people who feel that they too are struggling to feel like they ‘fit’ – be confident, be brilliant, be you! Because you are so very worth it x