Project Positive Living Tip #4: Own Your Struggles

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Project Positive Living Tip #4: Own Your Struggles

When it comes down to it, owning your struggles translates to being comfortable in your own skin.  As always, it is easier said than done but this is a process.  This is not an overnight event.  Like anything else, you have to want to do it, you have to invest in it and be open to being vulnerable.  How does this contribute to positive living?  Here is why: Once you have accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you.

What does that exactly mean? I will use myself as an example - I am impatient.  I get irritated with people who do not process thoughts and ideas as quickly as I do.  My eyes start to roll when people beat around the bush to get their point across. I can go on and on, but you get the picture.  However, I know that about myself.  So if someone tells me I am impatient or if something did not work out the way I wanted to because of my impatience, I know it is me.  I am not going to waste time explaining  myself to someone who called me impatient being emotional and arguing with them because it is true, I am impatient.  Knowing that about me, I can back track on the steps that I did and find out where it fell apart (i.e. task related stuff).  I am saving myself from placing blame on others which is an unproductive use of time and energy.  

Have you ever been around people who have their own insecurities but project them on you? It is like everything you say, especially if it is something that they are not hurts their feelings or it is translated as a blow towards them.  Many times it is because they do not own their own struggles and they pass them on to you.  You ain't got time to take that on your shoulders.  

I know we all love to hear the things that is great about us, we love to hear compliments from people. But reality is, we all have something that we struggle with, we all have flaws.  The past 8 months with school and work and everything else in between I have lost my groove in some areas in my life.  I am not thrilled about it, but I acknowledge that it is happening.  I am also the type of person who likes to figure out things on my own.  I am not the "run and scream for help" type of person.  I feel accomplished when I get myself to where I need to be.  I take pride in those moments and journey even if it is not always pleasant.

Own your struggles. Accept your flaws. Be comfortable in your own skin.  Embrace who you are.