I’m in my 40s, and I love wearing sparkly dresses with superheroes on them. I’ll proudly rock a Her Universe Doctor Strange dress with a matching Loungefly backpack, and I might even top it off with Mickey ears. I collect comics, have tattoos, quote animated movies during lectures, and still cry during emotional scenes in superhero films.

And guess what? I’ve never felt more like myself.

Growing up, I often felt like I had to tone things down to be taken seriously. In high school and even throughout college, I carefully curated my look depending on the crowd, trading my fandom pins and bold accessories for what I thought others wanted to see. Especially in my 20s, working as a young journalist, I often found myself covering upscale parties, elite fashion shows, and press events where a polished, muted appearance seemed like an unspoken requirement.

I tried to blend in because I thought it was the only way to be accepted, to be respected, to be successful.

But somewhere along the way, through life, love, teaching, writing, and becoming more deeply rooted in who I am, I realized something: the people who are meant to be in your life, personally and professionally, will find you when you’re being authentically you. Not when you’re editing yourself to fit someone else’s expectations.

Now, I walk into a classroom or a press event in a Marvel skirt or a shirt covered in tiny cats, and I feel like I’m home in my own skin.

I see students’ eyes light up when they spot my Disney backpack or when I reference a comic book in my creative writing class. I’m not dressing to impress; I’m dressing to express. And that small shift has changed everything.

One of the greatest joys of my year is celebrating my birthday in October in New York City at New York Comic Con, a tradition that now feels like a personal holiday.

Cosplaying alongside my forever family bestie Yoncie and my husband Sebastian, surrounded by thousands who understand the magic of fandom, is something I cherish.

And there’s also Sharma’s cosplay photos, which create memories are frozen in time that show just how colorful, joyful, unapologetically me I am now. And I love this person, this Aurora that simply smiles without seeking acceptance from others that might find her fashion to be weird.

Yet, there’s nothing weird about being yourself and taking on that personality. It proves that you’ve matured and have stopped pretending to fit in, an action that many times caused my true inner self grief.

There’s this idea, subtle but constant, that at a certain age, we should “grow out of” things that bring us joy. But what if we didn’t? What if we just wore the sparkles, watched the cartoons, and surrounded ourselves with what lights us up inside?

Getting older doesn’t mean letting go of the things you love. It means finally having the confidence to hold them tighter. It means realizing there’s no expiration date on authenticity, and that joy, style, and self-expression have no age limit.

So, if you’ve ever hesitated to wear the dress, get the tattoo, or gush about the latest superhero movie because you think you’re “too old” … don’t. Do it anyway. Be bold. Be weird. Be wonderfully you. Your people, the ones who see you, truly, will find you.

They always do.