“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.” –Kurt Vonnegut
What we do affects who we become, whether we realize it or not.
Some things may not come naturally, and when we do them, we may even feel like we’re pretending. And that’s ok, because it’s our actions, not our feelings, that shape who we become. If I don’t feel courageous, I can pretend, and move ahead anyway. If I don’t feel like being kind, I can pretend, and go ahead and love those around me.
And although it may seem hypocritical at times, pretending to be the kind of person we want to be can actually help us become that kind of person. Because in time, what we practice — whether we thought we were just pretending or not — will shape who we eventually become.