In “The Me I Couldn’t See: A Journey Into Authenticity” by Elyce Monet, there’s this realization that really hits hard: the real you, the person you’ve been searching for all along, wasn’t hidden by the world. It was hidden by you. That’s a pretty big truth to swallow, right? It’s not society, or your friends, or your family that’s kept you from being your authentic self—it’s you. You’re the one who’s been hiding your true self, thinking it’s what you have to do to survive, fit in, or be accepted.
Let’s be real for a second—how often do we hide parts of who we are just to feel like we belong? We craft this version of ourselves that feels “safe,” the version we think everyone will like, and over time, we get so used to wearing that mask that we convince ourselves it’s who we really are. But deep down, we know that’s not the truth. There’s this little voice inside that keeps reminding us that something is missing, that we’re not living fully as ourselves.
Elyce Monet taps into this feeling so perfectly in her book. We spend so much of our lives editing ourselves, downplaying what makes us unique, and pushing down the parts we’re scared to show. Maybe we think we’re too weird, too different, or too much for people to handle. So, we hide. But the funny thing is, in hiding those parts, we’re also hiding the things that make us feel alive. We’re hiding our magic, our joy, our authenticity.
The most freeing part of this journey—this “journey into authenticity” as Elyce calls it—is realizing that you have the power to stop hiding. It’s not about waiting for the world to suddenly accept you; it’s about you deciding to accept yourself. It starts with letting go of the idea that you need to be perfect or fit a mold to be worthy of love and belonging. Because the truth is, the parts of you that you’ve been tucking away are probably the most beautiful parts—the ones that make you you.
I get it, though. The thought of peeling back those layers and letting the world see the real you can be terrifying. We’ve all gotten so used to protecting ourselves, to blending in, to avoiding judgment. But what if, by letting go of that fear, you could finally feel free? What if the person you’ve been hiding is the one who’s capable of experiencing the most joy, the most fulfillment, and the most connection?
It’s not an easy journey, but it’s worth it. As Elyce Monet reminds us in “The Me I Couldn’t See,” the real you—the one you’ve been hiding out of fear or doubt—has been there all along, waiting to be seen. And once you start living in alignment with that true self, life gets a whole lot richer. It’s not about being someone else’s version of perfect; it’s about being the most real, unapologetic version of you. And that, my friend, is where the magic happens.
