A new year has begun and that usually means new year’s resolutions galore. Instead of a new year’s resolution, I find myself wanting to embrace my own weird self. That may sound strange, so let me explain.
When I was younger the thought of being seen as weird or as an outcast terrified me; now I find it amusing. I have embraced my weird. My quirks and my sense of humor are just a part of me. With that said, I am fine being the weirdo of the family gathering and embracing being real and genuinely myself. One thing I love about the last year is that I have become more comfortable being myself. No shame. If you’re like me, that’s great and if you aren’t, that’s okay too.
There is a beauty in feeling comfortable enough in yourself to not need the approval of others to be happy.
I have certain people in my life that just don’t like me. It used to bother me so badly that I would dread every encounter I had with them. I tried to do anything I could to make them like me. I felt like a failure if someone didn’t like me. For some reason I just wanted everyone to at least be okay with me.
Now, I realize sometimes there is nothing you can do to make someone like you because at the end of the day, it’s on them, not you. When you get to the point in life where you stop worrying about what everyone else thinks, it is freeing. You are able to enjoy what makes you happy, embrace the changes that are happening as life throws them at you, and then, keeping up with the Jones is the last thing on your mind.
I enjoy spending time with my family, seeing friends, making people smile, but life is too short to continue worrying about people that don’t give you a second thought. I am not one to make new year’s resolutions anymore, but if I did, mine would be to continue loving myself and finding myself because in order to give my all and show others how much I care for them throughout the year, I have to first give myself grace and permission to take care of myself.