You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself.
~Harvey S. Firestone
Oftentimes, we walk through life with a mask on our authentic self. We pretend to be something we think someone wants us to be. But it leaves us feeling empty and fake.
Perhaps you suffer from the imposter syndrome. You’re not feeling real. You put forth a you that you don’t quite feel is you—that soon, they’ll find out.
This is a common problem with so many.
Do you feel stuck with your authentic self?
A patient with severe brain damage said the most profound thing I’d ever heard. She said, “When I was little, I skipped school all the time pretending to be sick. And now, as an adult, I pretend to be well.”
I was in awe of such honesty.
Are you honest with who you are and what you’re doing with your life?
Again and again we are busy pretending to be someone we’re not. If you don’t believe it, look at Facebook, glance at all those smiling faces. Are they as smiley as they appear?
I Am…..
Maybe yes, and maybe no.
Too often on social media, the best side is posted, not the real, everyday self.
The other day on Twitter, one of my “friends” requested his “tribe” post authentic pictures so he could sift through the pile and pick a few he wanted to sketch. I don’t know what possessed me, but I posted one that I had absolutely no makeup on.
This is certainly NOT something I would normally do on social media. I guess I was having an honest moment.
Are You All Made UP?
Now, to be certain, I’m not all made up 24/7. In fact, on Friday evening when I get home from a long busy week at work, I pull my hair up and scrub my face clean—free of all traces of makeup until Tuesday when I return to work.
I don’t put a stitch of anything on, not even for Sunday mass. The only time would be if I had somewhere I had to go socially and needed to get “made up.”
So, what does this say about most of us? Most of us put our best face forward, just in case.
Just in case of what? Who or whom are we trying to impress?
Now putting on your face, or if you are a dude, putting on your best attire is fine, IF you’re doing it for you and it feels good—but if you are putting the best face forward for your “followers” to see, perhaps not so good.
Not that we should skip showers and all basic grooming for days on end, because that certainly is not where my mind is wandering. But it’s about being your true authentic self and loving who you are from exactly where you’re at.
Are You Truly Happy?
Most of my patients are overweight or underweight and often say, “I’ll be happy when I reach my right weight.”
Really?
I’m not so sure about that. We reach our happy when we are grateful for where we are in the now. It’s not about tomorrow or yesterday, last year when you were a size 4 or in a few months when you get to size…?
Embrace Now!
The answer is to embrace where you are right now. Yep, right now. I know, I know, you’re saying, but I’m not…? Fill in the blank. I promise you most likely will say something else when you are that magical number you think you should be.
I say, settle in to where you are now and you’ll live your authentic life. Not that you shouldn’t look or be at your best, because surely you should. But I am saying slow down and enjoy the journey.
Be where you are and move to where you want to be in a present state. If you are always waiting to become happy when this or that happens, you’ll stop your growth potential.
I was so proud of my patient when she blurted out that she was faking sick when she was a kid and now faking well as an adult. I was proud because it was profound. I get it. And you do too, I’m sure.
But perhaps we’re not as brave as she was. WE can learn a thing or two from this wonderful, delightful patient who was 65years old yet presented like 15 from years of trauma, yet she gets it. Somehow, she gets it.
Are you really living your true self? Do you know who you are? How do you sift through social media without feeling somebody is doing more than you, or cuter than you, or richer…? or whatever?
Please share your thoughts—you are in good company, simply scroll to the comments box below. I’d love to hear from you. What you have to say is important.
Thank you for being a part of the reading blog forum and spending time with me and my thoughts throughout these pages. I hope my words lit your excitement to become your best self for you. I look forward to sharing my newest book with you on how to release your obsession with your Phone. God bless you… and your journey through this life and all that awaits beyond…
To learn more about recovery from food addiction, eating disorders, weight issues, dieting, aging, money, and your phone, please check out my Release Your Obsession Series.
Stay tuned… you never know where my mind will wander…
Such wonderful writing. Thank you so much, especially reminding me that I was not perfectly happy when I was thin. You are so right and a great reminder to love and respect myself exactly as I am right now, not to waste life away in thinking if I was thin my life would be different. I so know that is not true. Thank you for all you do…
You are so welcome Lisa! I think we all need reminders to love and respect ourselves now, not tomorrow or yesterday. I love hearing from you!!