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Never feel pressured to change for ANYONE

Let's face it: We're all different.

Some of us are shy and meek. Some of us are bold and aggressive. Some of us are bookish and cerebral. And still others love being the life of the party.

No one personality is better than the other. 

Just because I'm an introverted bookworm and you're a garrulous social butterfly doesn't mean either of us should prod the other into changing. We may neither hang out a lot nor have much in common, but we can still get along and communicate with one another tactfully.

People can share their interests with others without any expectation of the person liking them.

Yes, people are more likely to associate with like-minded individuals who share their passions -- baseball fans with other baseball fans, politics junkies with other politics junkies -- but we should still be accepting of others' personality, interests, and lifestyle, even if they don't align with ours.

Yet, there are those who attack others who are different than them -- whether directly or indirectly -- and push hard to get them to change their ways. Such behavior is flat-out reprehensible. We don't need people like those in our lives!

Societal pressure doesn't end the day we graduate from high school or college.

Whether we're at work or even at a family gathering, adults pressure one another to do things they may be uncomfortable doing, from having one too many drinks and going skydiving to hitting up the stripclub or taking drugs.

A good person won't try to cajole you into doing things that go against your very nature. It's fine to ask once, but once you say "no," they should cease pestering you.

There's nothing more gratifying than holding your ground and sending the clear message that you like yourself and wouldn't change for anyone even if they paid you.

Some people really should butt out of our business. Our personality is a byproduct of a host of hereditary and environmental factors (e.g., upbringing). To tell someone to change their personality is to tell them to go against, well, nature.

People who do this are either envious of you, or not comfortable in their own skin. Don't let them get their way. The only one who should have a say in changing his or her personality is you. Don't do it to please others; do it because it's something you genuinely want in your life.

Never change for anyone but yourself. If you're happy with your personality and interests, embrace them ardently!
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