Find freedom by loving yourself. Hmm, does it seem possible?
Could it be true that if you could truly love yourself for who you are in spite of failures and successes, faults and strengths, resume or stature?
Quite honestly, it is something that I think about and have been thinking about for years.
It sounds so woo-woo…”Ah, just love yourself man, it’s all gonna be, like, awesome”. (Use your stoned surfer-dude voice to say that). But that is the advice we get. But what we don’t get is the why and the how. Because it’s all fine and dandy to SAY you love yourself, but how do you REALLY love yourself, warts and all?
I love TED talks, and honestly I think I’d rather watch a bunch of those then watch some fantasy TV series. It is so compelling to me,the wealth of knowledge, experience and breakthrough that is shared on those stages. Recently, I stumbled upon a TED talk that featured Sean Stephenson, and a talk he did at a prison. He called this talk; The Prison of your Mind.
He makes some incredible points, and to have those insights delivered from a man who has every reason in the world to be bitter, pitiful, angry and resentful about life, but doesn’t. He made some great points that I think you will really be helpful for you to overcome the things that you think about that ultimately strive to undermine your confidence and your love of yourself.
Sean Stephenson’s 3 Tips for getting out of the Prison of Your Mind (with my commentary and insight):
1.Never believe a prediction that doesn’t empower you. “The more we pity ourselves and others, the more it stunts our potential.”
By only believing the things that lead you to growth and power, your chances to be successful in anything infinitely greater. It is a choice of what you believe and what you tell yourself.
2.You are NOT your condition. Sean says that he believes that the only real disability is the refusal to adapt to situations and conditions. He says he “chooses to be strong, to be a leader and to move this planet forward by his life”.
Wow, how many times, like me, have you dug your heels into your situation, gone over and over it in your mind and refused to ADAPT to what is? That is truly inspirational to me and really makes me think about where I am stuck and if it’s my responsibility to adapt to something!
3. The REAL prison, is in our minds. “We all have chatter in there, it just doesn’t stop. True freedom is dropping out of that mind and into your heart…and loving yourself.”
We really do need to stop listening to “the voice” or the “committee” or the “ego”. All 3 of those entities strive to keep us safe and same, not growing even if the destination is better for us. We really need to embrace who we are, and love ourselves to have the freedom that we really say we want.
What can we learn from not just Sean’s words, but his example? What’s it going to take to take off the shackles that keep you trapped in your head?
Most people don’t even understand how these things are trapping them in a life of struggle, unhappiness, dissatisfaction, discord and failure. You simply must trust that when you give your all, that YOU ARE ENOUGH and you can love yourself no matter how it turns out. That is the beginning of living a life of true freedom.
When are you going to start living that way? What do you need help doing, learning, figuring out to be able to love yourself and be free?
I’d love to hear from you either via the comments or privately. There is no need to go it alone…we need each other to get through this life.
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