What Gaten Matarazzo Taught Me About Courage, Openness, and Showing Up Fully

I don’t usually write about actors in my journal, but today I found myself thinking about Gaten Matarazzo—yes, the one we’ve all grown up watching on Stranger Things. Maybe it’s because he’s close to my age group, maybe because he feels strangely familiar, or maybe because there’s something about the way he lives that makes me stop and reflect on my own choices.

What strikes me most is not his fame or success, but the way he carries himself with this mix of humour, honesty, and quiet resilience. I realised there’s a lot to learn from people like him—people who show up as themselves even when the world expects perfection.

Lesson 1: Being Yourself Is a Kind of Bravery

There’s something incredibly refreshing about how open he is about his insecurities, his challenges, and the things most people try to hide. The world constantly teaches us to present polished versions of ourselves, especially with social media turning everything into a performance.

But Gaten does the opposite. He shows what it looks like to live with openness, not as a weakness but as a kind of strength.

Watching him reminds me that authenticity is a form of freedom. The days when I let myself be who I truly am—without adjusting, without shrinking—I feel lighter. Like I can breathe more deeply.

Lesson 2: Turning Your Challenges into Your Power

Everyone has something they struggle with—something physical, emotional, or invisible. Gaten has openly talked about his own challenges, and instead of letting them limit him, he turned them into part of his story.

There’s something powerful about that.

He makes me think about my own insecurities, the ones I hide even from myself sometimes. And I wonder what would happen if, instead of treating them like flaws, I let them shape me in ways that make me stronger.

It’s not about pretending everything is perfect.

It’s about owning the truth so completely that it stops controlling you.

Lesson 3: Staying Humble Even When Life Changes Fast

His career exploded at such a young age. Fame arrived suddenly, loudly, and probably overwhelmingly. But he still carries this grounded, kind, almost comforting energy.

It’s a reminder that success doesn’t have to harden you.

Recognition doesn’t have to turn into ego.

And growing doesn’t mean growing away from yourself.

Sometimes, when I achieve something small—finishing a project, getting praise, reaching a goal—I feel myself rushing to the next thing. Gaten’s calmness teaches me to slow down and stay rooted in who I am, not in what I’ve achieved.

Lesson 4: Making Space for Joy, Even When Things Are Hard

He has this lightness to him—this ability to laugh, to be playful, to bring joy into the room. And the older I get, the more I realise that joy is not something that just happens. It’s something you choose.

Work, life, responsibilities—they all pile up. They can drain us if we aren’t careful. But people like Gaten remind me that holding onto joy is an act of resilience. That humour can be healing. That smiling doesn’t mean everything is perfect, it just means you haven’t given up your ability to find light in the dark.

Lesson 5: Using Your Voice for Something That Matters

One thing I admire is how he uses his platform—not loudly or dramatically, but sincerely. There’s a quiet maturity in that. A reminder that you don’t need to shout to make a difference.

It makes me think about my own life:

How do I use my voice?

Do I stand up for things even when it’s uncomfortable?

Do I use what I have—no matter how small—to help someone else feel less alone?

Gaten shows what it looks like to contribute to the world in a way that feels real, not performative.

What His Story Makes Me Reflect On

Sometimes we look at celebrities and only see the surface—roles, press interviews, red carpets, Instagram photos. But when you look deeper, you notice a human being trying to navigate life with honesty and heart.

And that’s what inspires me about him.

That even in a world that demands appearances, he chooses truth.

That even in a world that rewards perfection, he chooses vulnerability.

That even in a world that moves fast, he stays present.

If there’s one thing I’m taking away from thinking about his journey tonight, it’s this:

Being real is braver than being perfect. And being kind is more powerful than being impressive.

Maybe that’s the lesson I needed today.