Guest Post | The Psychological Effects of Implementing Your Very Self Into Your Life: A Discussion

Hi, I’m Nando/Dallin. This is a very awkward post for me to write. I don’t take things seriously. Your pet cockatoo may have been murdered in cold blood and I will have no sympathy. *Shrugs* That’s just how I am. Accurately describing “Being Yourself” is pretty difficult unless you take things seriously. So as you read my words, just keep that in mind.

And this is where I, Simmy/Kimberly, come in. *touching music starts to play* I’m pretty much the complete opposite of dear Nando, so this isn’t quite as awkward for me to write. And if your cockatoo dies, I’ll come to the funeral. Just don’t get me wet with your tears. And for heaven’s sakes go blow your nose on someone else’s shirt. But we’re getting side-tracked. I’m here to keep Nando in line and add some thoughts of my own. Let us continue...  

So...what does it mean to be “yourself?” Well, first we’ve got to define that idea. At first, you might assume that being yourself might imply that you don’t take in any outside influences, that you are not tainted by other sources. This thinking is flawed, however. For instance, at my school I’m well known for many things, but almost all of my major characteristics were taken from elsewhere. For example, my sombrero was stolen from Kid History, Pookie - my wooden spoon sidekick - was an taken straight out of an Internet meme, and my characteristic introductions of my teachers when I turn the time over to them was an idea purely from Scout Camp. But...I’m pretty good at being myself. So what’s up with that? Maybe I’m just a psychopath (he is....) and I want to kill you (he won’t...) so I can steal all your homemade chocolate chip cookies and your precious broccoli oreos...

......I would hide all your cookies and oreos, if I were you.  Jussayin’.  But, I do have to agree with Nando even if he is a psychopath. Being yourself doesn’t mean to hide in a random dark cave like a hermit and shun any and all societal influences.

Hey...don’t dis my social life...

Ah, shut up, kid. Nobody cares where you live. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, these societal influences actually help shape who we are. Once upon a time, I read “Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here?” by Mark Edmundson. In this essay, he addressed why we even want an education anyway. Why do we read “Blake and Dickinson and Freud and Dickens? ...The best reason to read them is to see if they may know you better than you know yourself.” <---Important right there. He’s saying that if we immerse ourselves in gaining an education, we start to find who we really are. We are shaped by what we let in, either for good or bad. We become our own person. But I really can’t tell you how to “be yourself.” I’m not you. I’m me. I love llamas and dislike facial hair. You may hate llamas and love a scruffy man. I don’t have your brain, your heart or your soul. And you don’t wear a sombrero. What drives me could be completely different than what drives you. So in essence, you have to figure out what makes you tick, what makes run and what....makes you, you.

*Looks up from scarfing down some blackberry pie and hurriedly reads the above paragraph* So...*swallows*...apparently Simmy here has come to a conclusion that the only way to be yourself is to...be what you are. Sound logic. So here’s the deal. In order to be yourself, you need to figure out what you are. So I have a few suggestions to help you.

• If you listen to Justin Bieber in any way: SHUN THE BIEBS. (This goes for any idiotic pop culture singer.) <---- This is where you are allowed to hibernate in previously mentioned creepy hermit cave.
• Take a few really close friends that you know will judge you for who you are - not for what you wear or what music (unless it’s JB) you listen to. Go up into the wilderness. I don’t care if it’s the desert, the mountains, the forest, or the bushes in your backyard. Get away from technology and culture, and just be with your friends. Nature’s legit and apparently magical. Just wait for results. But to accelerate the results...
• Get an education. I don’t mean formal education, although that can assist. I mean education in the sense that you get a knowledge of facts and then formulate opinions about them. That’ll help you, like Simmy said, in your quest to find yourself.
• If you don’t have the friends mentioned above: Toss your current “friends” and get new ones. I’ve learned how important good friends are over the course of my 17 years. (Yes, I’m ancient. No need to stare at the drool pooling in the corner of my mouth.) But seriously, listen up. I’ve had friends that pretended to be best buddies with me, pulled me down, and then tossed me to the side like a smelly left sock. It’s happened too many times for me to count. Because of this, I put up emotional walls. However, I’ve finally found some people who love me for who I am and who motivate me to be a better person. Who cares if I don’t fit the mold? There is no mold to fit. Choose your friends wisely.  In addition to your friends, go talk to your familia! They’re (probably) really awesome - even your parents. Yes, your parents. I know that’s difficult to get into your tiny juvenile brain, but accept it regardless of your personal opinion because you’re WRONG!
• Eat some cookies before I get to ‘em. And hide your pie. ;)

Sometimes, it’s helpful to have a personal motto...or um...battle cry. Basically, it’s something short and sweet...something you can remember...that packs what makes you or who you are into twenty-five words or less. (Mine is, “For Waffles!”) What is my motto? Be prepared for awesomeness: “Be happy. Be you. Be llama.”  See? Short, sweet, to the point and easily memorable. What does it mean?

Be happy-- Well duh. Who doesn’t want to be happy in life? The Grinch doesn’t... Actually, the story ended with his heart growing into a big huge teddy-bear-full-of-joy heart. So there. It wasn’t an improvement. Continue. Anywho...being happy involves smiling. And smiling makes other people happy. (I’m talking about the genuine long-lasting happiness, not the happiness that comes from worldly stuff like buying a new pair of shoes....)

Be you-- This is pretty self-explanatory. It’s what this whole blog post is about. But having this in here reminds me that I don’t have to fit a “mold” other people set for me. I definitely want to take their ideas to help shape me into a better person, but they can’t force me to be who they want me to be.

Be llama-- This ties in with being me. If I didn’t have an obsession with llamas, I wouldn’t be me. It’s like trying to imagine Nando without his sombrero.

In conclusion...should we bring this to a close? This has kinda been droning on and on and on and on and on...

SO. Our thesis:

Be Happy. Be You. Be Llama. Get good friends. Trust your family. Get an education. In other words, if you’re not yourself, become yourself.

Actually, the rest of this post kind of drones on and on and on and doesn’t really say anything. In fact, you should definitely stop reading it right now. I mean it, stop reading. If you read this last sentence, I hate you. Ah, get a life, Nando. If they even make it to the end, then I applaud them. You have a point.

NOW BEGONE AND DO GOOD WORKS! And embrace your inner llama.

~Fernando the Zombie Slayer

Simmy and llama <3

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Bio Blurb

Fernando the Zombie Slayer is the stuff of legend. When he’s not slaying zombies and cackling like a madman while dancing on their remains, he enjoys polishing his Civil War Confederate cavalry sword, crooning lullabies to Pookie, stalking his fellow classmates and taking advantage of Simmy’s gullibility. Nando currently resides in a hermit cave in northern California where he is making plans to take over the universe and force everyone to worship waffles.  Otherwise, he is a darling child who will sweep off his sombrero and dance to a Spanish love song on request.

Simmy is famous for not keeping her mouth shut when she should. Known as “The Master of Llamas,” she would willingly participate in any sort of activity that regards the fuzzy beast from Peru as holy - including dancing like a complete nincompoop. She abhors facial hair, considering it the bane of her existence. She considers it her life work to embarrass herself and all she is acquainted with, which gives her aura of llamaness an interesting twist. She lives in Utah - without a llama, unfortunately. Her hobby is getting involved in silly teenage romantic relationships.

Do you want my email at this point? Sorry, you creepy stalkers.  Get a life or go die. .

Or else...we’ll return the generous favor and find you. :)

If you really want to contact them, leave a comment below and they'll get back to you. :)