Sunday, August 17, 2014

Monday Mantra: Unconditional Positivity

mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.


Monday Mantra: Never apologize for who you are
Society 6

self-dep·re·cat·ing
adjective
adjective: self-deprecating
  1. modest about or critical of oneself, especially humorously so.
    "self-deprecating jokes"


I want you to understand unconditional positivity.

Sometimes it's fine to make fun of yourself. Sometimes it's even healthy and hilarious and humbling. In ways, it connects us to each other through the dumb things we've done, bad decisions we've made, and horrible fates we've faced.

But sometimes it's too much.

Sometimes we unnecessarily beat ourselves up just to fit in with others. Sometimes it's due to our own lack of belief in ourselves. We lessen ourselves for others when we shouldn't.

I want to show you how important it is to build yourself up instead of break yourself down.

There's a writer who I just love, but who always - without fail - puts herself down. On one hand, this allows me to relate to her scenarios and that gives me comfort to know I'm not alone. It even makes me wonder if I should write that way more often because I want you to feel good about who you are and be able to relate too. But more than that, more than anything, I want you to feel empowered. 

Empowered to be who you are without having to apologize for it.

That's why I try not to write, too often, in a way where I beat myself up. We see that enough in the world. We feel it from those who are fighting this battle themselves. We hear it in the ghosts of negativity that haunt our minds whispering "You aren't and never will be good enough, and everyone knows that."

 I want you to feel unconditional positivity.

I want you to know you are a valuable, important, irreplaceable person on this earth.

Arrogance isn't where I'm going with this. Arrogance is the extreme opposite of what we're talking about. Balance is our goal. The ability to find confidence in yourself that doesn't hinge on what others believe about you. The ability to neither have to say how awesome you are or how terrible you are at something, rather to simply be who you are and know for yourself. 

I have a friend who has never, not once, shown insecurity in herself. I think it is the most beautiful thing I've witnessed and quite possibly the hardest thing I've had to understand. Because at first, when we hang out, I feel so measly in my own self confidence near someone who totally and completely embraces who she is. But then something changes. Then I find a way to do that myself. I find a way to embrace and let go, all at the same time.

That is what I want for you. 

To embrace who you are and to let go of thinking that's not enough. To embrace your faults and let go of apologizing for them. To embrace your good and bad decisions and to let go of feeling that you have to break yourself down just to measure up to everyone else.

I want you to experience unconditional positivity.

I want you to give that to yourself.

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