Some days I get so tired of adulting.

On one hand, I’m incredibly privileged. I’m married to the love of my life, I have the sweetest, funniest, and sassiest toddler, and very few things in my life are truly challenging or painful.

But on the other hand, I miss the simplicity and naiveté of childhood—the lack of judgment, the comfort in knowing the future was simply “out there,” and the ability to embrace my quirks and the silliness that comes so naturally to children.

I miss how easy it was to be a unicorn.

Be a Unicorn

As I’ve mentioned before, I spent much of my childhood climbing the achievement ladder and playing dress-up with the delicately-embroidered coat of validation.

Though I was too young to understand my proclivity for basing my self-worth on my achievements and how they ranked among my peers’, it is now crystal clear that I have a lot to learn when it comes to owning my imperfections, showing myself grace, and realizing the value intrinsic to my humanity.

Whether we are children with limitless imaginations or adults struggling to find a purpose, the truth is, we are all unicorns.

We all possess a sense of beauty and mystery and greatness that no other human being possesses in the exact same way.

And that’s regardless of our achievements.

We are not special because of how many degrees we have or how many zeroes fall behind our salary figure.

We don’t need to constantly prove ourselves to the mirror, to our families, or to our peers. Each of us craves substance, but we find that substance in different places. Some find it on the corporate ladder, some find it traveling abroad, some find it writing out their opinions, and others find it caring for a house full of babies and keeping a welcoming home.

We don’t become unicorns by dieting or exercising ourselves to exhaustion. We don’t become unicorns by breastfeeding exclusively and preparing 100% organic and homemade baby food.

And we don’t become unicorns by denying our vulnerability and covering our heads with blankets of shame.

We are unicorns—and we always have been.

We owe it to the world to be ourselves. To love who we are with no apologies or regrets.

Like unicorns, we are special. We are valuable. We are enough.

Be a unicorn. #selflove #confidence #TOL Share on X

[linking up with Amanda for thinking out loud]

So tell me…

• Do you think it was easier to be yourself when you were younger or now that you’re older?
• In what way(s) are you a unicorn?