Today's Thought
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Self-approval
Most of us want to be liked. We want other people to think of us as nice, friendly, kind, and loving. Most of us want the approval of others.
Since childhood, some of us have been trying to get approval, trying to get people to like us and think highly of us. We may be afraid people will leave us if they disapprove of our actions. We may look for approval from people who have none to give. We may not know that we're lovable now and can learn to approve of ourselves.
In order to live happily, to live consistently with the way our Higher Power wants us to live, and to tap into a way of life that is in harmony with the universe, we need to let go of our extreme need for approval. These unmet needs for approval and love from our past give others control over us today. These needs can prevent us from acting in our best interest and being true to ourselves.
We can approve of ourselves. In the end, that's the only approval that counts.
Today, I will let go of my need for approval and my need to be liked. I will replace them with a need to like and approve of myself. I will enjoy the surprise I find when I do this. The people who count, including myself, will respect me when I am true to myself.
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Self-approval
Most of us want to be liked. We want other people to think of us as nice, friendly, kind, and loving. Most of us want the approval of others.
Since childhood, some of us have been trying to get approval, trying to get people to like us and think highly of us. We may be afraid people will leave us if they disapprove of our actions. We may look for approval from people who have none to give. We may not know that we're lovable now and can learn to approve of ourselves.
In order to live happily, to live consistently with the way our Higher Power wants us to live, and to tap into a way of life that is in harmony with the universe, we need to let go of our extreme need for approval. These unmet needs for approval and love from our past give others control over us today. These needs can prevent us from acting in our best interest and being true to ourselves.
We can approve of ourselves. In the end, that's the only approval that counts.
Today, I will let go of my need for approval and my need to be liked. I will replace them with a need to like and approve of myself. I will enjoy the surprise I find when I do this. The people who count, including myself, will respect me when I am true to myself.
I have always been one to do things in order to get others to like me. It wasn't until I realized that by being who I am, I'm being the person God intended me to be, that I stopped seeking approval. Although "stopped" is possibly a poor choice of words.......because I doubt I will ever be perfect at it. I am stiving more and more to become the person God wants me to be, and less and less the person I think others want me t0 be. As I do this I am discovering relationhips that reach a level of friendships and intimacy I never thought possible before.
6 comments:
Great post, thank you for the reminders. I like this quote too..."But he had found God-and in finding God had found himself" P158 AA Big Book.
Thank you so much for this post, I really needed to read this today, as it hits right to the heart of the matter.
nice....thanks for your honesty about your growth. I can always relate.
Ah Rex, I am typing this through tears today, I am so sorry for the loss of your friend-may she be in peace today!
The approval thing got to me, I guess a part of me was always seeking that affirmation/approval from others' to tell me if I was OK. I am doing my best to give that to me now *HUGS*
I knew there was a reason I added you to my sites to visit. I posted a poem I wrote on My Poems called Seeking Approval. The two lines are:
And above all please remember this, if nothing else
You don’t need approval from others to be yourself
I too spent my life seeking approval from others only to realize, I needed to be myself and not worry about what others thought of me. God is the only power that matters and his approval is the only approval I care to have.
It is really interesting to me how others like me when I'm not trying so hard to look good or have them like me--
love, approval of self and not setting my standards so far above what I can reach seem to be key
love you
Post a Comment