A time to live
A time to die
A time to love
A time to cry
A time to rest
A time to run
About this time 13 or so years ago I made a decision that changed my outlook on life and also how people view me.
I decided that conforming to what people expect – just to be “normal” wasn’t important to me. I wanted to be happy with who I was and not present a false image of myself to my friends around me.
So I started wearing shorts all year round.
I know that probably sounds daft – but to me it really was that important. I finally had enough self confidence in who I was that I didn’t feel the need to follow the norm and conform to what people expected. It was liberating. Wearing shorts all year round has become much more than .. well wearing shorts. It has become part of who I am – my confidence and character are rooted within that decision 13 or so years ago that I wanted to wear what I felt most comfortable wearing.
A time to wear shorts
A time to wear trousers
Now most of my friends from that time are memories. Some are friends on Facebook. I have gained new friends along the way – who I guess only really know the shorts wearing version of me.
I have been thinking for sometime that my external image no longer lines up with who I am in work.
I am a manager in a very successful organisation. I make decisions that have wide ranging impacts across all areas. I deal with clients internal and external who expect a manager – not a scruffy techie in shorts.
So from Monday I will be wearing trousers in work. My image should match my job.
To my colleagues and customers, internal and external I will hopefully be Matt “Chief Technician” Rogerson
To my friends I will always be Matt “That slightly odd bloke who wears shorts” Rogerson
In work at least – there is no weather – so “always good weather for shorts” no longer applies.
9 October 2010 at 8:41 pm
Wow I had no idea that the Shorts decision went so deep but I’m glad you did it and it makes me think about a few things too. I am always struggling with trying to be true to me and not live according to what other people think…or what I think they think! You will always be my mad friend in shorts who is also a techie genius but I hope that this new decision will make you feel as happy as the last one did.
15 October 2010 at 9:41 pm
You may or may not have noticed that I also chose to go with what I wanted to wear instead of the norm. I ended up in a place where I felt a little trapped by my decision and It became expected of me. Took me a while to come to the realisation that wearing what I want means wearing ANYTHING I want and that includes “The Norm”.
Whilst staying inside the realms of decency, legality and your own morality, you shouldn’t limit yourself!
Having said that, The few times I saw you in trousers, it was a definite culture shock, 🙂 (But that’s not a bad thing)