HAPPY YOU YEAR
“Today you are YOU,
that is TRUER than true.
There is NO ONE alive
who is YOUER than YOU!” — Dr. Seuss
What have you done for yourself lately?
Yes, you heard me correctly. When was the last time you celebrated . . . you?
I’m not talking about the last time you spoiled yourself with lavish, tangible, temporary “things” because perhaps you thought you deserved them. I’m referring to the last time you stopped comparing yourself to someone else. The last time you stopped trying to be someone you aren’t. The last time you gave yourself a break from conforming to your world.
I’m talking about the last time you stopped to truly acknowledge who you are and honor . . . you.
First, cheers to you for surviving another year. Life is tough. There are stressful jobs, difficult relationships, trying circumstances, tragedy, and sorrow. Unfortunately, we tend to wallow in the tough stuff. We’re often our own worst critics and enemies. We get so caught up in who we think we should be or what we think our lives should look like that we miss the actual, often amazing reality of our existence.
Speaking for myself, I’m guilty. I used to think some folks had it all together because of how they presented themselves, or the successes they’ve achieved, or perhaps how their house looked. In turn, this would cause me to work harder to become an often misguided “someone”, or to harshly judge myself, concluding I must not be quite “up to snuff” because my life or my personality wasn’t the same as someone else’s.
Can you relate?
Friends, if I may be blunt, the comparison game is rubbish. Truly.
Luckily, as I’ve grown older, I’m not worrying (as much) about what others think of me, in part because I’m realizing they seldom do. I’ve also been learning to reject judgment from others, discovering that most people who judge me don’t really know me or my circumstances. I’m also learning to celebrate who I am and to “be” who God created me to be.
“No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else.” — P.T. Barnum
There is only one YOU. You are one of a kind. Do you realize that? Only you can be you. Your life has value . . . you have tremendous value just the way you are. And guess what else? Along with the “tough stuff” of life, there’s also happiness, elation and fun.
Give yourself permission to routinely experience joy.
“Love yourself. Accept yourself. Forgive yourself. And be good to yourself . . . because without you the rest of us are without a source of many wonderful things.” — Leo F. Buscaglia
Raise a glass with me to celebrate you . . . and me! Let’s devote this coming year to loving ourselves perhaps a bit more.
Happy YOU year!
