Longtime lurker and felt compelled to share. So I'm in a class I do for fun on the weekends and I have a classmate that is absolutely gorgeous and funny and everything you could hope for in a girl. I've been meaning to ask her out, but was planning for the last day of class just in case it ended up awkward.

At any rate. Tonight, some classmates and I were planning on going to a show, but (un)fortunately, it was cancelled. Turns out I was the person from my class that showed up...until that girl showed up as well. Since we were both already there, I suggested we grab a drink; she agrees and off we go.

We're at a bar sharing stories and having a great time. During this, I learn (confirmed, rather) that she has a boyfriend. Fine. But rather than letting it phase me, I keep the conversation playful, fun, and am engaged in everything she's saying. We stay till closing, I drive her home, and part ways.

Is this a failure? Not at all. On the contrary, this happened over 2 hrs ago and I'm still glowing. Sure, it would've been awesome if she actually was single, but the entire time I was with this gorgeous girl, I felt great, and not just because we were sharing some drinks, but because I was being my fucking self. I was being myself making her laugh, I was being myself telling my stories, I was being myself when I was engaging with her and making that personal connection. I didn't feel fear or anxiety or what have you that I might otherwise feel when talking to a gorgeous woman. At the very least, I've gained a (very attractive) friend that could open up the door to other possibilities in the future. And goddammit do I feel even more confident about myself.

So to anyone and everyone that's ever felt unsure about how funny you may be, how you might look, etc., I say: Screw it and BE YOUR FUCKING SELF. Because as soon as you do, you'll find that not only will you become more confident in your own abilities, you might even be surprised at what you're capable of. It's easy and understandable to try to adhere to a standard or whatever, but what truly matters--as tonight re-emphasized to me--is how you treat yourself. You're fucking funny. You're fucking smart. You HAVE interesting things to say.

The only disservice you'll be doing if you DON'T share those parts of yourself is hiding how awesome of a person you are and throwing all kinds of possibilities out the window.

Go forth, friends, and conquer.

TL; DR: Be yourself - That's the only way true confidence shines through.