The Mirror – A Message for Collective

Published by Trish Nonya on October 24, 2021October 24, 2021

We have these ideas about what we should look like, how we should act, and who we should love. Beware the “shoulds” for they keep you from seeing, understanding, and loving what is.

I’m sure you’ve had people in your life who have pointed out your flaws as if they had none of their own. Perhaps you’ve thought that what you are is not what is beautiful or even acceptable by the standards of your society. You might consider yourself lazy for not keeping the same pace as the people around you or stupid because you don’t understand something that seems like it should be simple.

We take these thoughts in and sharpen them so they cut us in the places others don’t even know about. They spin uncontrollably in tandem with every little thing we do, even as we try to ignore or strive to fix them.

Now, I’ve put in a lot of work in this particular area of myself and I’ve come to understand that these thoughts don’t really really disappear. We just learn not to take them for truth and lend more focus to healthier thoughts. The truth, your truth, is far more than someone else’s opinion of you or how well you fit in with those around you.

Though we humans might be made of the same stuff, we are each vastly different from the others. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses and it is through identification and acceptance of these parts of ourselves that we become the best and whole versions of who we are.

Self-love does not mean you don’t have or see your flaws. It means you accept that you are a whole person with dark and light attributes just like everybody else. It means you learn to work with or around your weaknesses while building on your strengths. Self-love is choosing to pursue the things that make you truly happy instead of what you think should make you happy.

There is always a measure of vulnerability and discomfort when you begin to make moves in this area so don’t let that scare you! As with anything beautiful or important in life, practice leads to both improvements as well as comfort and confidence.

You are far more beautiful than you know and you deserve to be treated with love and compassion. Make that your standard for how you treat yourself as well as what you allow from others.