Acceptance

TRANSCRIPT I am learning to accept myself for exactly who I am, and who I am is turning out to be a nice surprise. It’s hard to stop trying to be what people want me to be, because having done this for so long, I lost sight of my true self. Last year, I started working on an original music project that I’m calling ‘no agenda,’ because I am realizing how hard it is to live with no agenda, no expectations and no demands. I like to plan everything. I plan my meals , I love lists and currently have four on the go. I’ve set five goals for myself for this year, and I’ve put myself on a daily schedule. So operating without an agenda goes against my very nature. In my attempt to loosen the constraints of self-inflicted expectations and demands, I am finding freedom. Most of us live with the misconception that when we perfect ourselves, then the magic of life will happen. Where did this notion come from? I suspect that it’s mostly come from the media presenting us with images that are thought to be the standard. Constantly consuming these images lead us to feeling less than and unworthy. But each of us is enough, and our uniqueness among millions is a masterpiece. I am becoming more aware of how I let my environment affect me. I am starting to protect myself from the media onslaught that I have been deluged with for my 53 years on the planet. Social media can be a bitter pill sometimes. Spending hours reading about others successes and seeing their happiness displayed for mass consumption can lead to the disillusion that our own lives are shit. But is any of it real or just manufactured for ‘likes’? We’ve all done it. We’ve all embellished ourselves on social media. What’s really behind this? Why do we feel the need to present a life that’s not authentic? Recently, the hubs and I spent the night at our friends lovely house out in the country, and as I lay in bed, I was fascinated with how quiet it was. There was no street noise, no ticking clock, no sound other than my own breath. This made me think about how rare it is to hear silence. In stillness there can be self-discovery. You can be gently reminded of the unique qualities that make you you, and then you can nurture true acceptance for being intrinsically who you are. Upon introspection, you can begin to own your greatness without any self-deprecation. You can fearlessly share your art with the world just for the sake of it, without being at all concerned with how it’s received. Acceptance leads to freedom. Accepting who we are right in this moment, warts and all could pave the way to true happiness. I did a poll on my Facebook Group asking the question, ‘Are you happy with where you are in life right now?’ I am thrilled to report that 75% of the respondents answered ‘yes’! I take comfort in knowing that self-acceptance is possible, and I’m well on my way. How would you answer the question. Would it be, Yes, No or Not Sure? Click here to leave your answers in the comments section.