The Name Card

Dear Friend,

Okay, confession time. 😼

I was digging through my drawer today (don’t judge me, it’s a very organized mess) and I found this little name card with my name written on it in fancy handwriting. Just “Ellie.” Sitting there like it was waiting to be invited to its own party.

And for some reason, it made me think about how many different versions of “Ellie” I carry around with me.

There’s the version that’s polite and put-together when she has to be.
The version that gets a little too chatty when she’s nervous.
The version that acts like she has everything under control (she doesn’t).
And then there’s the real one — the one who sometimes just wants to sit in silence and not perform for anyone.

It’s kind of exhausting when you think about it. Like I’m constantly switching costumes depending on who’s in the room. One minute I’m this version, the next minute I’m that one. It’s like being a cat that keeps changing its fur pattern to match whatever furniture it’s sitting on. Cute in theory. Actually kind of tiring in real life. 🐱

I think a lot of us do this. We have our “people-pleasing” mask, our “I’m fine” mask, our “I’m very normal and not weird at all” mask. And after a while, it can feel like we’re collecting personalities instead of actually being known.

But every once in a while, someone looks at you and doesn’t need you to switch masks. They just… see you. And they still like what’s underneath. That feeling is dangerously addictive, honestly.

I think that’s why I kept the name card. Not because it’s fancy, but because it reminded me that I don’t have to be every version of myself all the time. Sometimes it’s okay to just be the cat who wandered into the room and decided to stay.

Anyway, that’s all for now. I’m going to go be mysterious and unhelpful somewhere. 😌

If someone has seen the real you lately without you having to explain yourself, I hope you’re holding onto that.

Until next time,
Ellie