Do you care about what others think of you? Most people I know would say they don't. If you think about it, most people do to a degree. I care about what other people think of me. When I enter a professional environment, I do not want to be the person who does not belong. When I hang out with a group of friends or acquaintances, I do not want to be the sad kitten who plays with the ball of yarn in the corner; the sad kitten in the corner implies that I am left out of the group.
For a long time, I cared deeply about what others thought about me. Sometimes, I would act or speak a certain way, solely for approval. If this seems bad, it gets deeper. Many times, I would behave a certain way because it was how I thought people perceived me. Instead of being who I was and staying to to form, I morphed into what I thought others wanted me to be.
As I've matured and have gained different perspectives, I realized that it is too much work to be who others want me to be. I was tired of giving into every desire and saying "yes" to just about everyone I knew. It's exhausting to do everything!
Since my revelation, I have focused on who I am. Instead of downplaying perceived weaknesses (e.g., pessimism, conspiracy theorist, etc.), I have recognized that these qualities are part of me. I don't want to change them nor do I plan to. Many people would say that my "negative" qualities make me a bad person. I say "Bah Humbug!" I wouldn't actually become Scrooge, but I would acknowledge that I am who I am and that's a-okay by me.
If you have a difficult time celebrating who you are, then refer to this quote: "Never allow someone's opinion of you to become your reality." -Anonymous
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
I am Stronger Than Yesterday
You may or may nor recognize the title of the blog. If you can't put your finger as to where it came from, it is a lyric from Britney Spears' song "Stronger." Some are familiar with this song and others aren't. If you're not, then I will fill you in briefly. The song is about leaving a horrible relationship and finally feeling free. When I think about the song title, a different idea comes to my mind. I think about being strong in every facet of life, including leaving horrible relationships.
When I think about being strong, I compare myself to Bozo the Clown. I remember watching Bozo in a class one day. Kids kept pushing Bozo down, but Bozo always got back up. The kids couldn't understand why Bozo could pull himself up. Most people know that these kinds of toys have something inside of it that allows it to bounce back up.
If Bozo has something in him that allows him to bounce back up each time, then do people have something in them to bring them back up? If you look deep inside, there is something there. You may or may not see it. It is there, but it may be hidden. There's a possibility that the light hasn't been ignited. I think each person has something inside that brings him/her up each time a something goes wrong.
When you get knocked down, think about what motivates you to stand on your two feet. When you do, remember what motivates you when you feel like giving up. When you get up, you become stronger, wiser, and humble; you will be better for the experience.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Does the Outfit Fit?
When is the last time your tried on an outfit? Did the outfit fit just right or did something seem off? I've always been told to put clothes back on the rack if I don't like them on me. If I still decide to buy the clothes, they will grow dust in my closet.
When an outfit fits just right, it seems like everything is right within the world. The outfit hugs your body the way you think it should and it makes you feel confident. I don't know about you, but I know that I feel best when my outfit is tailored perfectly.
Think about the clothing you own. Do you have a go-to outfit you wear? Doesn't it make you feel great?! Each time you wear it, you feel confident! When you wear your favorite outfit, you don't second guess whether or not it is right for you; you just know it.
Picking out the outfit that is perfect for you is a lot like picking out the people you surround yourself with on a daily basis. People are a reflection of who you are. Some people are like the clothes we buy, but don't like. For example, let's say you hang out with a large group of people. In the group, you really only like 1 or 2 people. You would be thrilled if the other people went away. The 1 or 2 people you like are the tailored clothes that fit you perfectly. You know these people work well with your personality. You could do anything with these people and still have a great time. The majority of people are the ill-fitting clothes or the clothes that don't suit your personality. Some people are like the pair of pants that are a size too small; you think you'll fit into them one day. These people squeeze the life out of you. Other people may look like you (e.g., similar sense of style), but the "it" factor simply isn't there. If money weren't an issue, would you buy the item that is meant for you or buy the item that looks good, but doesn't look right on you?
If you surround yourself with ill-fitting people, you will never be fully satisfied. Surround yourself with people who work. You can't explain how or why, but it just does. The people who fit like a perfectly tailored outfit are the ones who will bring the most satisfaction and happiness to your life.
When an outfit fits just right, it seems like everything is right within the world. The outfit hugs your body the way you think it should and it makes you feel confident. I don't know about you, but I know that I feel best when my outfit is tailored perfectly.
Think about the clothing you own. Do you have a go-to outfit you wear? Doesn't it make you feel great?! Each time you wear it, you feel confident! When you wear your favorite outfit, you don't second guess whether or not it is right for you; you just know it.
Picking out the outfit that is perfect for you is a lot like picking out the people you surround yourself with on a daily basis. People are a reflection of who you are. Some people are like the clothes we buy, but don't like. For example, let's say you hang out with a large group of people. In the group, you really only like 1 or 2 people. You would be thrilled if the other people went away. The 1 or 2 people you like are the tailored clothes that fit you perfectly. You know these people work well with your personality. You could do anything with these people and still have a great time. The majority of people are the ill-fitting clothes or the clothes that don't suit your personality. Some people are like the pair of pants that are a size too small; you think you'll fit into them one day. These people squeeze the life out of you. Other people may look like you (e.g., similar sense of style), but the "it" factor simply isn't there. If money weren't an issue, would you buy the item that is meant for you or buy the item that looks good, but doesn't look right on you?
If you surround yourself with ill-fitting people, you will never be fully satisfied. Surround yourself with people who work. You can't explain how or why, but it just does. The people who fit like a perfectly tailored outfit are the ones who will bring the most satisfaction and happiness to your life.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Do You See What I See?
When you look at yourself in the mirror, who do you see? How do you see yourself? Do you degrade yourself or pay attention to what you like best about you? I can't say this with 100% certainty, but I think it's safe to say that people use mirrors as a way to fix themselves. Some people need to fix their hair, some examine their outfits and fix it for the day, and others dissect their bodies and determine everything that needs to be fixed.
I know you look at yourself each day, but do you really know what you look like? Really, do you know? I used to know how I looked. I am notorious for looking in mirrors. How could I not identify what I look like? I spend ample time examining my own appearance.
Last week, I heard an impromptu speech about people looking at themselves. The person who spoke recently went on a trip overseas. In Tanzania, she took pictures of a few kids. At first, they were curious. Then, one kid walked over and looked at the picture on her camera. Before she knew it, 10 kids were surrounding her camera. They smiled, chucked, giggled, and laughed. For the first time, they saw what they looked like. It was a pure and precious moment.
Another example that comes to my mind is the Dove commercial I saw a while back. It was the commercial where the FBI gentleman drew the women based on the way they described themselves and then drew the woman based on someone else's description. The result was that other people think more positively about one's appearance than the person him or herself.
When you look at yourself, you may become your harshest critic. Stop being so hard on yourself. See yourself through someone else's eyes. It may be difficult at first, but if you look at yourself as if someone else is looking at you, then you may giggle and smile, just like the kids in Tanzania.
I know you look at yourself each day, but do you really know what you look like? Really, do you know? I used to know how I looked. I am notorious for looking in mirrors. How could I not identify what I look like? I spend ample time examining my own appearance.
Last week, I heard an impromptu speech about people looking at themselves. The person who spoke recently went on a trip overseas. In Tanzania, she took pictures of a few kids. At first, they were curious. Then, one kid walked over and looked at the picture on her camera. Before she knew it, 10 kids were surrounding her camera. They smiled, chucked, giggled, and laughed. For the first time, they saw what they looked like. It was a pure and precious moment.
Another example that comes to my mind is the Dove commercial I saw a while back. It was the commercial where the FBI gentleman drew the women based on the way they described themselves and then drew the woman based on someone else's description. The result was that other people think more positively about one's appearance than the person him or herself.
When you look at yourself, you may become your harshest critic. Stop being so hard on yourself. See yourself through someone else's eyes. It may be difficult at first, but if you look at yourself as if someone else is looking at you, then you may giggle and smile, just like the kids in Tanzania.
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