This Is Me – Why Owning Who You Are Is the Greatest Show of All - By Ben Vasquez

There’s a moment in The Greatest Showman that hits you right in the soul.

It’s the scene where the cast of outcasts bearded lady, tattooed man, giants, little people, and others society deemed “too different” rise up together and sing “This Is Me.” It’s not just a song. It’s a declaration. A battle cry. A reminder that each of us, in all our uniqueness, is worthy of love, respect, and a place to shine.

We live in a world where blending in often feels safer than standing out. Where being different can feel like a disadvantage. But this scene flips the script. It shows us the power of embracing who we are, exactly as we are.

P.T. Barnum, the man behind the circus, spent so much of his life trying to fit into a world that wasn’t built for him. He chased status, approval, and admiration from “high society,” believing that if he just pretended to be someone else, he’d finally be enough.

But in doing so, he lost sight of the people who believed in him from the beginning his circus family. The very people he once empowered to step into the light were the ones who pulled him out of the darkness when he lost everything. They reminded him (and us) of something important: You don’t need to fit in to be accepted. You just need to be real.

Growth is beautiful. Learning new things, challenging ourselves, and striving for more is part of what makes life exciting. But progress should never come at the cost of our authenticity. When we try to become someone we’re not, we may gain temporary applause but we lose the lasting joy that comes from living truthfully.

The truth is, we’re all different. And that’s our strength.

We weren’t made to be carbon copies of one another. We were made to shine in our own ways. To tell our own stories. To walk our own paths.

So be bold. Be proud. Be unapologetically you.

Because as Oscar Wilde once said,
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”