Time To Take Action...

“A body can't prosper if a person don't know who they are. That makes you poor as a pea, not knowing who you are inside. That's worse than being anything in the world on the outside.”
― James McBride

Choose To Be Yourself!

How many times has someone just told you to be yourself? For me, it seems infinite. The real question should be, how would you know if you are really becoming yourself?

When I ask myself that question, there are several questions that come to mind.

• How do I act when I am with the people who I am most comfortable with?
• Do I smile more often when I am with them?
• Do I laugh more when I choose to be around them?
• Do I choose to show them kindness even when I know they cannot or will not give me the same courtesy?
• When am I most comfortable? When I am by myself, with friends, with family or even with strangers?
• When I am with others, how do I feel?
  

Maybe you ask yourself these same questions.

I think my comfort zone is being around friends. I can be myself when I am with them. In fact, while my friends are always honest with me (even when it hurts) I almost always seem to have the same groups of feelings. I never feel inferior but I do feel at peace, a certain sense of stability. My friends never make me feel awkward or try to intimidate me, but instead show me love, kindness and always seem to put a smile on my face. Maybe, just maybe it is because I am choosing to be myself and do not feel like I have to react to them.

I have found that when I am just being me, I worry less about what others people’s opinions are because I am not trying to pattern my life around what they want. Instead, I am making the choice, which can be difficult at times, to just be me. Take it or leave it, I am my own person.

Likewise, you are who you choose to be because it is what is in your heart. You make choices every day; not because you were told make that choice but because that is exactly the choice you want to make. Of course, as we have pointed out before, life does need to change from time to time. It is up to you to make those changes. After all, you already know when and how to do that. It is how you were created.

Remember, when you are taking action, then you are not reacting to others. Here are three things to think about this week.

• When you do an act of kindness towards another person, do you do it because you “want to” or “choose to”? Maybe you do it out of habit or a feeling that others will approve of you. Perhaps. But, it is always better when you make the conscious choice to make that decision on your own.
• Are you being yourself at work? Maybe you feel like you have to be a different person at work? Perhaps you feel like none of your co-workers will understand you or like you? Of course, maybe they will. After all, your friends like you. People at church like you. Even you like yourself, most of the time.  The fact is you are great JUST AS YOU ARE! So, let the world see you for you. Then, notice the change around you. How do you feel now?
• What things do you truly cherish? Not items that can be replaced, but rather feelings, thoughts and desires that revolve around your happiness. Write these down and make a list. Now, take action. Choose a life that suits who you are, instead of who others want you to be. Will you lose some friends? Possibly. But, you will find new friends and you will feel better about who you are as a whole person once again.
  

Remember, life can ALWAYS BE BETTER!