As I Am

"I don't care what they think"
Sometimes it just sounds like a front,
What you're supposed to say.
You're meant to just hold your head up high
And let the looks and comments
Slide past you.

It is hard:
The self-doubt,
The pressure to conform to the majority.
But standing tall
Feels good.

It's taken a while but
It's no longer a front for me.
I used to stay quiet
Instead of saying something "wrong",
I used to dress in a way that
Wasn't quite me.
Now I'm comfortable in myself.
What I wear,
How I behave -
It makes me feel good.

And yeah, there's still
Moments
Where I feel like
Retreating,
Putting my walls up again.
But not around
People I actually care about.
I surround myself with those
Who accept me.
No one else matters.

Because the thing is,
I genuinely don't care.