Once upon a time there lived a young boy by the name of Arthur. Arthur was a very bright kid, but lacked the confidence to showcase his true potential. He had a lot of insecurities and always found himself doubting his own capabilities. Despite his natural intelligence, Arthur often found himself feeling inadequate and ungenuine in comparison to the other kids at school.

Arthur was always the last one chosen when it came to sports and he was often made fun of due to his lack of skill. He didn’t have the same talents as others and his prospects felt limited. He struggled to make friends and kept largely to himself.

Inevitably Arthur resorted to hiding his true self and began to behave in a way that was ungenuine. He would pretend to be someone he wasn’t in order to fit in, changing his behaviour and outlook depending on who he was with.

Every day, Arthur would come home feeling even more uncertain about himself. He felt like he was putting on a mask and the more he did it, the harder it was to take it off. He felt distant from his family who could tell he was struggling, but had no idea how to help.

One day, he was invited to a party. Everyone was going and so he decided to go too. At the start of the night, he was aware of the act he was putting on and could feel himself becoming more and more unsettled.

Suddenly, he noticed a group of kids having a sincere conversation about their passions and interests. Arthur was in awe and wanted to join in, but the thought of being judged held him back. He sat there silently and watched as they all shared their dreams and goals. As he was listening, he realised that they were all different, but they were still accepted and appreciated.

In that moment, Arthur saw how ungenuine he had been and how it was holding him back from being himself. He took a deep breath, let go of the mask and decided to be himself for the rest of the night. When he shared his thoughts and opinions, he was met with kindness and openness. He soon realised that he was strong and capable after all.

By the end of the night, Arthur was surrounded by a group of sincere friends and had made a powerful discovery – it’s ok to be who you are and still be accepted and appreciated.

Moral: Don’t be afraid to be yourself. True happiness comes from accepting and appreciating who you are.