The other day I was standing in line for food at an event.

A couple of people volunteered to make the process faster by filling plates at the end of the line so minutes wouldn’t be wasted by people dishing out food individually.

When I got to the end of the line, I couldn’t pick up the pre-dished plate because of my dietary preferences. So, I ended up being the only one to spend extra minutes on the line as I had a customised plate made up.

The experience got me thinking.

Process produces efficiency through standardisation. But in every process, one must leave room for uniqueness and be able to adapt quickly. People shouldn’t hesitate to speak out about their differences for fear of being judged.

Sometimes people accept the status quo because they don’t want to rock the boat or be considered presumptuous. If you form a habit of serial acceptance of the things that make you uncomfortable, no one will know the real you. The danger is there may be someone out there who’s been hoping to meet someone just like you. If you keep masking your true self, they’ll never get to know you.