I came across a comment online that has stuck with me ever since. It read:
The person you think of as “yourself” exists only for you, and even you don’t really know who that is. Every person you meet, have a relationship with, or make eye contact with on the street, creates a version of “you” in their heads. You’re not the same person to your mom, your dad, your siblings, that you are to your co-workers, your neighbors, or your friends. There are a thousand different versions of yourself out there in people’s minds. A “you” exists in each version, and yet your “you,” “yourself,” isn’t really a someone at all.
I’ve thought about this countless times, line by line, and each time it hits me with a different layer of meaning. It’s such a powerful reminder of the intricacies of the human experience. We often spend so much time trying to define ourselves—who we are, what we stand for—but in reality, there’s no singular, fixed version of “you.” We exist as different versions of ourselves in the minds of others, shaped by their experiences, their perceptions, and even the smallest moments we share with them.
This realization took me back to an evening years ago when I was teaching a yoga class. After class, a student approached me and said, “You know, I really appreciate how calm you are. You’re like this quiet force in the room.” I smiled, thanked them, and walked away. But later, it got me thinking—was I really calm? On the inside, I had been battling with a hundred different thoughts. I didn’t feel like that calm person they described at all.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized how differently people experience us. My students see me as a teacher, someone guiding them through their practice. My close friends know me as someone they can share a laugh or a deep conversation with. My family sees me in ways only they can, from all the years of growing up together. There’s no singular version of me that’s “right” or “true.” All of them are true in their own way, even though they’re wildly different.
It’s both overwhelming and exciting to think about—there are roughly seven billion people in the world, and we all create countless versions of each other in our minds. It reminds me that our uniqueness isn’t just about our personality or traits; it’s about the complex, ever-changing nature of how we’re experienced by others. We’re all originals, and even identical twins aren’t truly identical.
In a world that often pushes us to fit in, this idea pushes me to do the opposite. It challenges me to embrace the different versions of myself, not to force myself into a singular, fixed identity. We are not just the product of our past or the reflection in the mirror—we are everything we bring to the people we meet, the love we give, and the moments we share.
So, I want to challenge you too. Instead of worrying about how others perceive you, or trying to mold yourself to fit a particular version, I invite you to celebrate what makes you, you. Own the things that set you apart and bring them to the world, in your way, in your time. After all, we’re all just living as different versions of each other in this beautiful, shared experience.
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