#2 Don’t Get Behind The “Change” Bandwagon
Why do we try so hard to change ourselves with a multitude of “self-improvement” plans, especially when these ways of “bettering” ourselves, ultimately make us feel defeated and that much more inadequate? Our culture does an effective job at convincing us that we don’t measure up and that we couldn’t possibly be lovable just for whom we are. The truth, though, is that what makes us lovable is our humanity, our caring, and our idiosyncrasies.
Think about it, how often do you want to “hang out” with a friend because they “impress” you, or because they can do something that you can’t do? Not often. No what really matters in friendships is feeling comfortable with another person, to the point that we can relax and be ourselves. I wonder how much happier we’d all be if we abandoned the efforts to change ourselves and instead took on the charge of accepting ourselves? I suspect we’d be a lot happier.
January 29th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Because inadequacy is what the American economy is based on. So we will continue to strive as social beings and not rely on our own thinking. Everyday we see it- everyday we feel it and incorporate it or rebel against it and then develop an opinion. I saw a Family Circle magazine that had a giant piece of chocolate cake on the cover and above was the title-”Lose Weight Now”. So what should I think? Buy the pretty pink magazine for the cake or buy it because it will give me the ultimate solution for fitting in-in other words- “happiness” I’m just wondering how we all got to the point of being told what to think. Happiness to me is invented unless we have the courage to redefine it for ourselves. Accepting ourselves is more about understanding what we are up against and what we buy into -so that we can recognize the other door.