Why ‘fitting in’ isn’t worth it
Why ‘fitting in’ is not worth it
Belonging
Have you ever wanted to fit in? Fit into a group, a society, or even a standard?
Well, in all transparency, I can recall a time when my sole objective was to find people I could blend in with. As much as we may not like to admit it, we’ve all wanted to feel like we belong. And honestly, that’s okay. It’s human.
In my last article, Will You Ever Be Enough, I wrote about how no matter how hard you try to conform to what society calls “normal,” the finish line keeps moving. On similar grounds, I want to explore something else — the idea that every time we try to fit in, we’re unknowingly deciding that who we already are… isn’t enough.
Becoming smaller
Ironically, “fitting in” is the perfect metaphor. Because that’s exactly what you’re doing — trying to squeeze yourself into something smaller. A label, a standard, a version of yourself that feels more acceptable. And society makes it easy. It hands out ready-made definitions of what “normal” looks like, even if they’re shallow, recycled, and full of contradictions.
But we still go along with it. We trade in the parts of ourselves that feel a little too loud, too soft, too weird, too emotional, too real — for a simple, desperate kind of belonging.
And the cherry on top? Even the people who seem like they belong the most are stuck doing the same thing. Quietly trying to fit into new boxes that still leave them feeling out of place. No one really wins here. Everyone’s just shape-shifting, hoping it’ll make them feel seen.
Another face in the crowd
Following the crowd and fitting in might look safe, but it’s rarely fulfilling. You blend in, but lose your voice. You’re accepted, but not understood. You’re surrounded, but still feel alone.
Your opinions start to sound like echoes. Your choices start being shaped by what will get the least resistance, not what’s right for you. You don’t grow—you just adjust. Over and over. Until you forget what your unfiltered self even looked like.
Conforming doesn’t bring connection. It brings performance. And performance is exhausting.
Shadows of ideals
What’s hard isn’t fitting in. What’s hard is standing out, staying real, and making space for yourself in a world that loves to copy paste over and over again.
The world has more shadows than people. I say this because so many of us are trying to shadow who we think we need to be instead of being who we really are as a person. It’s easier to be liked when you say the right things, wear the right mask, follow the script. But easier doesn’t mean better. And it definitely doesn’t mean real.
We weren’t meant to be duplicates. But most people are just walking versions of who they think they should be. Which is why the world starts to feel flat. Repetitive. Tired.
Being yourself in that kind of world is challenging, but more importantly — it’s necessary.
Conclusion
Maybe the Point Was Never to Fit In.
Fitting in is comfortable, but comfort is not clarity. Belonging doesn’t have to come at the cost of authenticity. And sometimes, the space where you don’t quite fit in… is where you actually start to find yourself. Following the crowd and fitting into society can leave ur opinions, development and individuality in the dust.
Trust me, conforming to norms, trying to be normal may seem like the solution but it’s quite the opposite, rather than making a place for yourself you’ll end up disappearing in a sea of lookalikes, where one can’t be told from the other.
So no — fitting in isn’t worth it
What is difficult is to be different in a monotonous and boring world of duplicates, so stop hitting ctrl C, stop trying to blend in with the crowd and stop trading in originality to fit in to boxes that were never made for you anyways.
