I'm human, I'm fragile, and sometimes I just need to step away from things which make me sad.
Why step away?
If I ever start to compare myself to someone else and wish I was them, it's time to step away.
If I ever look at someone else's lifestyle and wish I had their disposable income, their ability to travel the world, their awesome wardrobe of the latest fashions or their humongous collection of make up, it's time to step away.
If I see a pretty girl in the street, in a magazine, on the internet and start to feel less than in comparison, it's time to step away.
If I ever start to buy into the bullshit in the media about the size of a person's body determining their worth, it's time to step away.
If I ever see someone who CAN and start telling myself I CAN'T, it's time to step away.
If I start to feel unhappy in any way at all by the things I see online, in a magazine or in any other place, it's time to centre myself, stop comparing my situation to someone else's, and step away.
To compare ourselves to someone else is like comparing a rock to a pineapple. We're all unique.
If you ever wonder what your place on this earth is (as we all do from time to time) and think you're of little consequence, you sell yourself short. Sometimes I feel as if I blog to the ether, like no one would notice if I disappeared into a puff of smoke, but yesterday when I was leaving my family and my cousin's 6 year old daughter buried her head against me and said 'I don't want you to go!' I felt 100 feet tall.
Perspective is all that is required - a reminder of what really matters. Sometimes the things that matter most to us aren't the things right in front of us. Sometimes we have to go searching for the things that matter, because they can get buried in the day-to-day.
It's easy to feel worthless when everyone else seems to be having a better time of it and when you feel like no one knows you exist, but those things really don't matter. None of us knows what goes on behind the facade in another person's life. The grass always looks greener on the other side but is it really? Is it Astro Turf or the painted plastic grass people put in the bottom of their fish tanks?
If you ever feel less than, step away. Just for an hour. Do something which takes you away from the things which make you feel down. Do something that reminds you how special you are. Re-read birthday cards or other reminders of how much you're loved. Focus on a photo of yourself when you look really happy. Email a friend. Phone someone. Connect with the real things of value in your life.
It doesn't make us weak to acknowledge sometimes there are things out there which test our ability to love ourselves and feel secure in ourselves. It makes us human. It makes us normal.
Hugs from me to you if you feel less than right now. This started as a pep talk and I thought if it could reach one sad heart it'd be worth it.
What's the best piece of advice you've been given and who was it from?
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