Monday, April 23, 2012

The Most Important Key to Your Happiness and Success

source

"Present yourself always
As who you would be,
And that is the person
The world will see."

You know me as GG.  Mom, blogger, writer, hair enthusiast.  Lover of pretty things and positive words.  Always ready to point out the lesson and the silver lining. 

If you know me in real life, then you know that I'm a serial smiler and a peacemaker.  You might even know about the weird things I do with my hands when I talk or how I behave when I've had too much to drink.  My quirks.  My skeletons.  All of the things that make me self-conscious at times, but also make me who I am.

I know that I'm a good person, but I don't feel that I always live up to my own expectations.  I'm sure you know how that is.  I also know that I'm talented and smart, but sometimes when I'm trying to create or produce, this truth escapes me.  I'm intimidated by my own growth.  Tracee Ellis Ross captured it perfectly when she said, "I'm learning everyday to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be to inspire me and not terrify me."

Do you ever feel like a walking contradiction?  Simultaneously pleased with yourself and yet conscious-stricken for no specific or valid reason?  Don't allow this duality to discourage you.   

The key to your happiness and success is directly tied to your ability to approve of yourself.  I know it can be difficult to stay detached from the opinions of others, but it's necessary.   And really, it's the only way to be free.

Don't think that you have to play small or sell yourself short in order to be gracious.  Let go of your judgements and worries about how you're perceived.  The most enlightening thing in the world is to learn to be kind to yourself and accept all that you are.
"At this very moment, you may be saying to yourself that you have any number of admirable qualities. You are a loyal friend, a caring person, someone who is smart, dependable, fun to be around. That's wonderful, and I'm happy for you, but let me ask you this: are you being any of those things to yourself?"
Please share with me in the comments why you are a self-loving, self-approved woman.  I really want to know and writing it out will surely give you a boost. 







5 comments:

Anonymous said...

True words,
thank you very much for that!

Christina said...

Lady...I often feel like your posts are directed at me. LOL I know this feeling, but don't often consider "self-approval". It is so hard to release the notions of "how you're perceived". I mean, how do you NOT care, so much?...and, who doesn't want to be perceived well?...

Sometimes, I think I need to hang around others who are of the "I don't give a _ _ _ _", type nature; just so a smidgen of their character could potentially rub off on me...just a smidgen.

Anywhoo...
I am self-loving & self-approved, because I know how well I take care of & look out for myself, and I also know how far I've come. Never in my life, have I (simultaneously) been this confident in my abilities, talent & beauty. Never.

PS
I'm a "serial smiler" too. LOL

GG said...

I'm glad you ladies like the post :)

It's sooo hard not to care. I wonder if I'll ever really not care at all. I don't know about that, but I do believe that I can reach the point where I notice what people think but from a distance - if that makes sense? You know, like without attaching any emotion to it.

Marie, I love your self-approval statement! Sounds like you're in that lovely sweet spot where you're really coming into your own. It's a beautiful thing! :)

CocoaPuff Chanel said...

I am self-loved and self approving because I am a wonderful daughter, sister, and friend. I'm growing into the person I truly want to be. The older I get the less I care about what others think of me and I'm starting to value myself more. As a naturally guarded person it has been hard to let people in. I'm finally in a place where I can just throw caution to the wind and be myself. I don't have to be everything to everybody anymore and that's okay. I'm just thankful for realize this at 27 instead of 57.

adwoa said...

Loved this post, thank you

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