WHO AM I ??Up until I was 47, I had lost myself to the point I had no idea of who I truly was. Can you relate??What I did know was how to act like a normal person, or more like acting how you wanted me to act,Inside was an insecure child but damned if you’d see that.To find out who I really was in mid-life required help and tough work.After going through a process and understanding what had gone on and seeing what I did to cope, I got to a place where I knew and understood me, and accepted it! It was a process my coach guided me through.As my old buddy Rod used to say, it was like being the lone ranger!! Today I can look in a mirror, feel gratitude, and in a humble fashion, love the guy in the mirror!!The reading today is about accepting ourselves. Something easier said than done!!Today, I’m in love with Popeye’s old saying, “I is what I is and that’s all I is” and I’m thrilled with that.Give me a shout if you’re tired of being a lone ranger and want to join in with Popeye!! luv
Accepting Ourselves While driving one day, a woman’s attention focused on the license plate of the car ahead. The license read: “B WHO UR.” How can I? she thought. I don’t know who I am! Some of us may have felt confused when people encouraged us to be ourselves. How could we know ourselves, or be who we are, when, for years, many of us submerged ourselves in the needs of others? We do have a self. We’re discovering more about ourselves daily. We’re learning we’re deserving of love. We’re learning to accept ourselves, as we are for the present moment—to accept our feelings, thoughts, flaws, wants, needs, and desires. If our thoughts or feelings are confused, we accept that too. To be who we are means we accept our past—our history—exactly as is. To be ourselves means we are entitled to our opinions and beliefs—for the present moment and subject to change. We accept our limitations and our strengths. To be who we are means we accept our physical selves, as well as our mental, emotional, and spiritual selves, for now. Being who we are in recovery means we take that acceptance one step further. We can appreciate our history and ourselves. Being whom we are, loving and accepting ourselves, is not a limiting attitude. Accepting and loving ourselves is how we enable growth and change. Today, I will be who I am. If I’m not yet certain who I am, I will affirm that I have a right to that exciting discovery. |
KEITH BRAY Master Certified Coach www.coached2success.com