We all think we’re being real—whether in public or in private—but the deeper challenge is questioning whether we truly know our real selves at all. In any case, even when we know ourselves we might face various pressures that push us to fit in or not cause trouble – so even the most well-intentioned person might struggle to always be 100% real in public. Sometimes the simplest questions are actually the most complex. Thankfully, we have some wonderful members of the community who offered to share their thoughts on this challenging question.
Melissa Mor
Yes, this is the real me but there’s so much more I don’t share. I’m naturally a very private person. While my kids often appear in shoots, you’ll see them, but not their faces or hear them on camera. Protecting my family’s energy is my top priority. Read more>>
Latrell Floyd
No, the public version of me is completely opposite of the real me. The public version of me is very outspoken, flashy, and a huge extrovert. The real me doesn’t like attention and I am a true introvert at heart. I love being home with my blanket watching movies and eating snacks. I am very thankful for having that balance between “Latrell” and “Trell”. Read more>>
Ne’Shia Holden
Yes , I’m extremely big on authenticity. I will always be myself in every way on any room . It’s always free to be yourself. It costs more being someone you’re not. Read more>>
Mike Wright
I would say that the public version of me is the real me, though I honestly don’t put a lot of my personal life out there. If you meet me, yes, 100% real, but I don’t usually blast the internet/socials with details about myself. Read more>>
Debi Blair
Yes! What you see is what you get. With everyone that I come in contact with I try to provide a sense of calm and peace. There is so much uncertainty in our world and many people feel overwhelmed right now so when a client sits in my chair, I want them to enjoy their time. Read more>>
Daphne Marie
Yes the public version of me is the real me. It takes too much energy to have multiple versions of oneself. And as long as you are true to you and aren’t a horrible human, you should be you in all situations. Read more>>
Jai
Yes. I feel like there’s beauty in showing up as yourself unapologetically. I love who I am and I don’t mind sharing that with the world. Read more>>
Pac’Liyah
Haha. For sure. Especially at this point. I’ve always been ME online, I just didn’t share ALL parts of me. I’ve recently came online with my truth and story. I told everyone about my divorce, my eviction and all of my struggles. It wasn’t easy but if I want to practice what I preach, which is authenticity, it was very necessary. Read more>>
Keyatta Mincey Parker
Yes and no. The public version of me is real. I don’t put on a mask; what you see is definitely me. But it’s not *all* of me. People see the polished, smiling, “got it all together” version, and that’s true, but behind that, there’s also the tired, vulnerable, messy parts that don’t always make it to the surface. Read more>>
Sam Rose
The public version of me is real, but it isn’t the whole of me. What people see online -my work in wellness, retreats, and creative expression is true, but it’s only one layer. The deeper parts of me live in quiet moments of simply existing without care of being witnessed. Read more>>
Regina Brown-Jackson
Most definitely! I refuse to try to emulate others because then no one will truly meet the real me. I remain steadfast in my authenticity and the way I treat others. Your character is shaped by how people perceive you personally, not by what they see on social media or what they hear from others. Read more>>
Paradise Blu
Yes. I’n the public eye and on my social media, I appear to be such a happy & unbothered person. People will always tell me, including family, ‘I never seen you mad. You’re so pleasant and youthful.’ Privately, I am just as vibrant, as I am publicly. I’m such a kid at heart & I adapt to any environment. I am true to myself. Read more>>
Anthony Elias
What you see is always what you’ll get with me. I do enough acting when the cameras are rolling. And even when I’m acting, there’s a bit of truth in all the roles I’ve played. I like to say that every character is just a different version of myself. Read more>>
Tae Monaee
Absolutely! Although there may be different ways that i may show up, all of them are authentic. I don’t allow society to tell me who i should be. I am the quiet and the storm, The sunrise wrapped in midnight’s form. I shift like wind across the sea— Each version still, completely me. Read more>>
Dynasty Jones
Absolutely I walk in full transparency now because I spent so many years running from the truest version of myself. For a long time , I tried to fit into spaces that didn’t reflect who I really was, dimming my light , trying to be accepted , and worrying that people might see me as ‘lame’ if I showed up fully as me . Read more>>
Rebecca Brizi
Yes, even if different parts of me shine in different contexts. This is part of the work that I do to train employees on balancing personal values with work values. We all exist in multiple contexts: work, family, social, home, and more. And in each of these contexts we highlight a different part of ourselves. Read more>>
Courtesy Davinci
What you see the music, the visuals, the message that’s me on purpose. That’s the me who shows up with intention, with polish, with vision. It’s the side of me that’s crafted to speak to the world, to inspire, to express. But the realest me also lives in the quiet. In the moments nobody films. In the doubts, the prayers, the healing, the in-between. Read more>>
Kaitlyn Burt
She is now. For a while I think I tried to be who I thought I should be—especially in business. But I realized the more I showed up as my true self, the more aligned everything felt. Now I lead with honesty, warmth, and a little weirdness. And it works. Read more>>
