Be who you want to be....

The city is awash today with hope, excitement, 'gaytms' and #passion. For many in the LGBTI community, Mardi Gras is the symbol of acceptance, community and fun. Even for those who don't go along for the parade, party and other events, most members of the community embrace what Mardi Gras means and how history has been to get where things are now.

We often see not only those struggling with sexuality, but for a whole range of other reasons. Most people who see us will talk about a sense of not knowing who they are, meant to be, how to be who they want or knowing what their meaning and purpose is. These are really complex things, which rarely have easy answers. The stakes are high for making big changes in who you are, what you identify with, and sometimes people lose friends/family and others along to way. Being true to who you are is a hard decision to make, and often comes with incredible discomfort and uncertainty about how to move forward.

Ultimatley, everyone makes a decision. Whatever your particular struggle is, you will have made a decision about how you manage it, how to be true to yourself, and making a call about how you identify yourself. Only you know who you are, and how you need to be, and so I encourage you to spend a couple of minutes evaluating how close you are to living the life that you want to be. This may feel confronting and difficult, as often it is easier to keep doing what we do, than conceptualise how to change. The reality is though, living with your values firm and present in mind makes for a much more content existence.

Happy Mardi Gras, stay safe and enjoy all that comes from being who you are.