You do you!

Whenever anyone, but most likely a friend I know, is about to do something they’ve always wanted to, I’d say: “You do you!”, Maybe add in “gal” or “bro” to end it with. What I’m really doing is, encouraging my friend or whoever it is, to do what they’ve wanted to regardless of the heaps of judgment that comes his/ her way, because they know themselves better than anyone else, and they know what suits them the best. Expressing yourself by being you and doing what you think is right is good, as long as you do not exaggerate it.

The statement “You do you” brings out both the best and the worst in a person.

Thinking on the bright side, the phrase you do you, encourages a person to be themselves, without shame and without having to hide themselves from the rest of the world. The 21st century has become an era where one has to think more than twice when it comes to the clothes one dresses and even before they speak. But as humans of the 21st century, if an early being was watching us closely today, he would think that we should be better than that, because although one expects a man’s thought-process to evolve over time, it doesn’t and it clearly hasn’t. This is mainly because they are afraid to step out of their comfort zones and speak for what is right. When they see someone trying to break free from these societal norms, they charge against them, by judging the other. But I’d say, you do you! And let everyone else do them. It’s that simple and that hard.

We as a society should, and must celebrate the weirdness and the uniqueness in all its forms. It’s each of our right to be weird, just as it’s our right to live. How would you know if something is right or wrong for you, if you won’t give it a shot? You must take the risk to know yourself. Maybe it will be a huge success and maybe it will be a small flame. You owe it to yourself to find out! If you regret your decision, then embrace the consequences and learn your lesson. Start over with more strength and confidence.

You do you is about accepting yourself when no one else is willing to accept your flaws and mend them, being happy for being you, and feeling more confident in yourself and of who you are!

Let’s recall the fable of the frog and the scorpion: The scorpion needs a ride across the river due to the rising of the water level. The frog is afraid to give the scorpion a ride in case it stings him. But the scorpion reassures the frog that if he does sting him, both of them would drown and upon reassurance, the frog carries the scorpion across the river. But halfway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog. And just before they drowned the scorpion says: “Aren’t you gonna ask why I did that?” and the frog croaks “You do you”.

So the bottom line of this story, we must remember to “do us” within reason. Yes, it is freeing to be you and not care about what the rest of the world says. But you must remember who you really are. It is good to feel like you can do anything you want by living this phrase, but it is also important that you stay true to yourself and be confident in projecting to the world the real you without going overboard and becoming something you are not.

Another problem in the people living in the 21st century is that they are easily influenced by the rest of the crowd around them. Social media plays a major role in this process. It’s essential that you do you, but not because your society says so. Since this phrase has become very popular within the modern society, this phrase is practiced by everyone. It’s more than alright to be you and do you, but it should be because you want to and not because the society wants you to. You do you in your own timing. Don’t rush it. You make the decision in showing the world who you are.

Next most important part of doing you is doing so with love. There is nothing like self-love. Once you do that, spread that love ‘cause you really don’t want to keep all that love to yourself right? Do what you love and with passion and people around you will love what you do. So although you are doing you, you are all-importantly helping others around you as well.

You should always stand up for who you are, what you are and what you want. To do this you should stop caring those small voices around you dragging you down. Instead you use those voices as a strength to fight back and show that whatever said was impossible is possible!

At MTV Movie & TV awards, the American actress Lana Condor made the following statement: “Kiss who you want to kiss, Love who you want to love and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise” BUT I’d say, within reason.”

So, “You do you”, but with confidence and style!

Randila Withanarachchi

ENU 2022