I feel you there, I've been trying for the last 5 years to get back my old self. He was anxious and nervous, but at least he was happy :(

Too much stress is certainly a bad thing, and there is an abundance of it to be sure, but at least some stress is a good thing, I think anyway. Stress can push you to become better, to learn and grow. If nothing else, it pushes us to become who we are. We are who we are because of the hardships we face.

Also Xanax. Or plushies.

Plushies are almost certainly better.

In all seriousness, though, you're right. Life would be infinitely better if we could connect with our true selves everyday. It's sad that most people would never let us be who we are happiest being. Our best bet is to accept others for who they are and hope that they'll reciprocate. Be part of the change that will make everyone happier.

Am I being sappy and starry eyed?

Friendship's a full-time job.
It's good work if you can find it!
It's not for the faint of heart
-- 'Cause you could get hurt or blinded.
It's not a part-time feelin'.
And it's not for the proud of heart.
Friendship's a full-time job.
It's good work if you can find it!

Friendship's a full-time job.
It's good work if you can find it!
It's not for the small of heart
-- 'Cause sometimes you get heartbroken.
It's not a fair-weather thing,
And it's not for the impatient.
Friendship's a full-time job.
It's good work if you can find it!

(parody of “Love Is a Full Time Job”, by Billy Joe Royal)

Aww it's like you gave me a hug thru cyberspace, Merci!

I truly wish I could afford being less hard on mysrlf. But reality is that nobody will be there for me when I falter, so I will keep on pushing, forcimg and being hard on myself.

I really like this message.

Maybe the reason we're all here is so that we can learn to be our true selves even in a less than ideal world.

What an insightful thought -- that sometimes we need to escape from the real world to appreciate who we really are!

Indeed, I have found that writing my own pony series gives me some sense of escape needed to feel the power of friendship.