Emma I have a little bit of a different take. Is it not everyone’s right to be the people they really are? If you deny yourself, aren’t you also denying those you love access to the real you? You are still the same person at your core. Your values and your attitude towards others dearest to you have not changed. But you can be so much better when you embrace your authentic identity. Is it difficult for those caught unawares? Yes. Do they have a right to be hurt and reevaluate your relationship? Yes. But they do not have the right to force you to be less than you really are. Sometimes I wonder if the safety of the familiar interferes with the clarity of our vision. Fear holds us back. At the end of the day we want everyone to be happy. Sometimes that is difficult. But it is never good not to become your true self.

Before I underwent GAS I was frequently wracked with doubt. I began to question my sanity. I wondered if I was being unfair to all those around me. To stay focused, I would ask myself a simple question. Could I ever go back to being the man I thought I was? The answer was always a resounding no. It was a life of quiet despair, mere existence with no hope and no purpose. The world was so much brighter when I embraced my true identity. I was energized and freed. I became calmer and more loving and more accepting. The undercurrent of anger and dissatisfaction disappeared. I treated others better because I had finally treated myself better. Wasn’t that the right thing to do? It was for me. That doesn’t mean it was easy, but ultimately it was the best for everyone.