If you are reading this, your purpose on this earth is not over. You are needed. You are valued. You still have work to do. You may not even realize it or know it. That’s ok. Life has a way of smoking out clarity of purpose sometimes.
Let’s clear that smoke together, shall we?
First things first – We must accept that life happens.
I know that sounds a little clichéd yet, acceptance of living is one of, if not the most important factors in healing. You see, we all have hurt in us. Some a little and others a lot.
Our richness in life comes when we realize that each of us have a purpose prepared for us. If we get to a place where we can accept that, not based upon what it is, but based upon that truth (no matter your philosophy or spirituality beliefs), life’s doors begin to open.
For full disclosure, there is one other truth about accepting life that we must embrace – that is we are aging – daily. Some of us are fortunate to live long lives and others are cut short here. Regardless of how long we have, we have no other choice than to accept aging. It is ironic how many people struggle with this.
“It is not circumstances that make us happy or unhappy, but our own hearts”
Paul Tournier (Swiss Physician)
Finding Our Self-Worth
We are unable to truly help others without first learning how to accept ourselves. That begins with understanding that life is not always fair. There are injustices that occur that will probably never be eradicated.
If we can learn how to forgive ourselves for the mistakes we make, the injustices we deliver, and the biases we have, we have begun the journey of true healing, finding our voice, developing confidence, and ultimately walking with such amazing self-worth, nothing can hold us back.
To get there, however, takes a journey. All our journeys are different, yet similar. There are three facets of accepting life and building our self-worth. I call them the 3 “A’s”:
Admit
Ask
Act
Building self-worth and confidence, finding our voice, and stepping into the fullness of our purpose requires us to walk through these the 3 A’s. There are a few certainties that we must concede to. This is the next level of acceptance too.
Admitting is the first step. Admitting that
○ We are not perfect, and neither is anyone else
○ If we do something half-heartedly, we may not be satisfied with the result
○ Life is not a game of comparisons but collaboration
○ Experience is a great teacher
Admission does not mean that we have necessarily done something wrong. Admission is recognizing the reality of wherever we are in our journey. We all move with different pacing. No one person has the right or wrong pace, therefore we must make this admission.
Asking is equally of vital importance. Asking does not mean weakness. Asking is a demonstration if strength. We all know someone who has tried something on their own and it has not turned out the way it was intended. Asking reinforces the truth that
○ We need each other – we are not meant to go it alone
○ It reminds the self to keep the ego in check
○ An abundance of counsel creates clarity of purpose and vision
○ When we invite others into our journey our worth grows
When we ask the universe, God, our partners, our friends, our colleagues, our family for help, advice, assistance, whatever it is, we are allowing a greater power to be filled inside us. That filling is what sanctions our mind to act.
Action is required for anything to change or move. Action is what demonstrates obedience to the admission and the asking. Action demonstrates
○ A willingness to move – not be stagnant, lazy, or procrastinate
○ The importance of change – Without change we become irrelevant
○ Integrity of character – that our actions match our words
○ A desire to grow
There is nothing more beautiful or pure in life than someone with confidence and self-worth. The greater they are inside us, the bolder we speak out. That voice is the voice of truth that speaks volumes.