If you’ve had a relatively loving family background, remember the delight in just being a kid. No thoughts of comparisons; times of playing without thoughts of performing. There was an unconscious delight in just being you. If you’re family background was less-than-optimal, remember what you hopefully learned in school…listen, tell the truth, and be kind.
Often as life happens we forget about these lessons. The kindness in us is pushed out by our response and reaction to the unkindness we experience (deserved or not). And happiness is related by cold indifference. We stop hearing and seeing the beauty in life. Work becomes a chore or an escape from feeling…all this grayness of life as we know it because we’ve become self-centered rather than looking outward for places to show kindness. When we’re kind (especially unexpectedly kind) what is the feeling inside? Warmth and a sense of goodness. The world is a better place because we’ve helped make it so.
An inside warmth, a desire to be truthful becomes an integral part of us when we have personal integrity. What is integrity in your life? What would your life look like if it were unimpaired? No friends that drag you down, work that saps your energy, clothes that don’t fit (the list goes on)…. What would it take to commit to becoming free of impairments in your life? I either release friends who suck or take energy to try to retrain them to be my cheerleader, not my critic or counselor. I model what I need. Then I look at my home: I don’t live in a mansion, so I get rid of everything that isn’t essential. No magazines I haven’t read in months. No chipped dishes and mismatched glasses. Organized drawers. Cleaned-out files. It’s easy to access what I need when I need it. I’ve hired a trained eye to assist me with my wardrobe, so that my clothes give me the freedom to be recognized and admired (every human being longs on some level for this). My clothes communicate who I am; I don’t keep garments that don’t fit or don’t tell my authentic story. I dress for me…the person I was made to be.
Try stepping out into the world knowing and communicating who you are. Your dignity will create an aura around you, and you’ll attract like people (people who honor and love themselves, and therefore can honor and love you).
Become the KID (Kindness, Integrity, Dignity) you were always meant to be.