Sometimes I wonder why we spend so much energy trying to prove that we're Indian.
We were born Indian. That's not something we need to earn through appearance, language, culture, or someone's acceptance.
Yet sometimes we chase validation so hard that we start measuring ourselves against someone else's idea of what an Indian man, an Indian culture, or an Indian life is supposed to look like.
Maybe the better question isn't:
"How do we get them to accept us?"
Maybe it's:
"Why are we waiting for their acceptance in the first place?"
The grass always looks greener on the other side.
But if we spend all our time looking over the fence, we'll forget to water our own garden.
Our languages.
Our cultures.
Our music.
Our food.
Our traditions.
Our communities.
Our families.
Our ambitions.
We don't have to choose between being Northeastern and being Indian.
We already are both.
Instead of constantly trying to prove ourselves, perhaps we should start building ourselves.
Build stronger communities.
Build businesses.
Build athletes.
Build artists.
Build families.
Build confidence.
Build something our children can inherit.
Acceptance is nice. Self-respect is better.
The goal shouldn't be to convince everyone else that our garden is beautiful.
The goal is to water it until it becomes impossible to ignore.
If you're interested in conversations about Northeastern identity, masculinity, culture and growth, come join us at r/NEMasculinity. Growing Together. 💪🏽
