don't deny it, or maybe do?

I don't want to be the kind of person that denies their feelings for the sake of others. That's so lame.

It's a limiting behaviour for several reasons:

• It's inauthentic and fake. You're lying to yourself.
• It implies your feelings are something to be ashamed of, or are weak, thereby tanking your self-esteem.
• It sets you up for failure both internally and interpersonally. Sometimes I pretended I didn't care when I really, really fucking did.
• It's weak to lie to yourself rather than face the music; you can't deny what you feel.

I want to be more direct. I want to stop diminishing myself. Being authentic takes courage, and you are courageous.

You want to know something? I am starting to deny people if their ideas are terrible. Put more clearly, if someone wants me to do something for a stupid reason, I am starting to politely decline. I am confident in my judgement and intuition: if any of those alarm bells are ringing, there is a reason. Stop and ponder, and then make a decision. Don't blindly agree.

I am starting to come into myself.