did you have any reservations about changing your name? I've wanted to for many years but always felt scared or that I might me alienated from myself. Do you have any tips about how to go about it? I wish you luck with this 🍓
hi !! my experience i think isn't super universal but no, i didn't ! i never had a relationship with my name really, and it's common from people from my country to change their names when they come here/go by something else (which is what i did, but i chose that name impulsively and was given no time unfortunately so i ended up not liking it + i didnt know i was nb) so i've sort of always been...okay with letting it go ! i think it's the same with so many things but i just sort of don't really feel attached to things i was forced to keep, like my name, or my assigned gender :)
i understand what you're saying though !! remember that names are just labels you use to describe yourself - while a name can feel like you, at the end of the day you aren't your name: you're far more than a word . and names don't ever have to be permanent ! you can ask a few people to call you something else for a month or two, maybe more, maybe ask more people as time goes on, and see how it feels ! you can try out different names until you find one that you think Fits TM :) take your time though, names are words and labels, but they are powerful things, and you're far more than allowed to feel the way you do about it ♡ i'm not sure what country you live in but if it's possible, you can have your current name as a middle name ! you don't have to write it down in places but you'll still carry it with you and i think that might feel sweeter, it's less of a letting go .
words are constantly evolving and shifting and it's alright to be scared, they have so much power ! but they are, at the end, a very human thing, and they exist for us to use and love and appreciate . changing a name isn't letting go of everything you were, it's not leaving yourself stranded, it's evolving into who you are now, and who you will be in the future ♡
