“I’m sorry if my face looks like I’m underwhelmed. I’m actually very excited to hear from you!” - me, trying to be mindful of other people’s feelings in every conversation.

Being a natural stoic is both a blessing and a curse. One the one hand, my calming and unbothered nature gives me the tool to be the sturdy rock in the storm that others can lean on, while protecting myself from being affected by my surroundings.

On the other hand, the list of things in this world that can draw visible and authentic expression of exuberance or sadness out of me can be counted on one hand, and BTS is one of them. It doesn’t mean I’m emotionally suppressed or an emotionless robot. It just means the threshold to trigger visible emotions out of me is really really high. This bed of Romaine lettuce brings me great joy, but I’m not going to do a happy dance or anything.

“Do you not feel any emotion about this at all?” - this was literally said to me at a funeral. What? I can’t be quietly sad by myself? I have to sob uncontrollably to PROVE that I’m sad?

And in my younger days, I would force myself to cry or act excited when the social settings called for it, just so I didn’t have to be the odd one out. But now I don’t mind being the odd one out. Because the worst crime we can commit against ourselves….is not allowing ourselves to be AUTHENTIC.