IF the situation calls for it, would you rather pretend and be something you're not OR just be yourself and suffer the consequences?

Be myself? I naturally am what the situation calls for, if I feel like it’ll suit me and my interests (twisted or not)

Aren’t you suffering if you are pretending to be something you’re not? I think I’m just going to go ahead and be myself and make myself happy. The only people suffering will be those who don’t accept me.

I was never much good at pretending. I would be myself.

Yeah I agree with you @jonsblond. Either way you’ll suffer, so why not suffer in a more comfortable way (by just being yourself and not exerting much effort into being someone you’re not) haha!

I suffer for who I am every day. But I think I’m pretty stellar, so it’s alright.

I prefer to be myself. There’s little point in doing otherwise unless it avoids some immediate threat, such as not telling off an authority who has me under his power.

I’ve always been myself, who else would I be? I abhore fraudulent people that change according to who they are with or where they are. Authentic people with authentic self esteem show up with consistency, they are not chameleons.

@mignondefleur: You said, Either way you’ll suffer, so why not suffer in a more comfortable way.

Personally I have not found that to be true. When I was true to myself, I found life much easier. It is certainly true that I can’t please everyone, nor would I want to.

I start with myself and…just read what @Coloma wrote above.

If you are suffering all the time, perhaps there are ways to alleviate that and find more daily joy.

The “cool” and “uncool” cliques in high school are both filled with insecure adolescents who are trying to find a path that suits them. And it is exhausting to pretend to be someone you are not.

I’d like to say I’d just be myself and deal with whatever happens but it definitely depends on the situation and my mood. Sometimes I’m feeling unusually confident and I would stick up for myself and whoever else was on the wrong side of the situation, but other times I’m feeling exceptionally cowardly and probably would (as much as I hate to say it) pretend to be something I’m not.

Be yourself. If being yourself causes you undue suffering, be yourself quietly.

Note: This is in a school years context, referring to bullying. I don’t want you to get hurt, is what I mean.

Anyone who pretends to be something other than their true selves, is probably suffering inside already.

Always be myself!!

The latter, since I would be miserable either way. Facades have always come back to bite me.