It would be ridiculous to deny that we care if others like us or not - it’s simply untrue. Of course we care. But, to attempt to live according to other people’s expectations in an effort to be liked… What we’re doing is setting ourselves up for all work and no return. We are simply building an endless pit of dissatisfaction.
Some of the people that attend my Self-Empowerment Workshops want to overcome feelings of disempowerment when it comes to establishing healthy boundaries. As they do the exercises and tapping during my 5-week workshop, they soon discover that as children they most often times felt unliked and unwanted.
Seeking constant approval, compliments, validation, and value by others are impediments to living authentically.
How so? Because you’re making it everyone’s else’s job to like you, instead of focusing on liking YOURSELF.
Remember it’s not your job to like me, it’s mine!
There are many traits to identify how you like yourself. Here are just a few:
- To catch your negative thought patterns & reframe
- Holding space for yourself when you create a mistake, or negative thing you’re facing.
- Accepting who YOU are right here, right now.
- Learning from all situations that have hurt you and making corrections.
- Taking everyone’s else’s opinions about you as feedback, not as this is the totality of who you are (remember everyone projects from their inner world)
When you take the time and work the steps, guide yourself through each of these moments from a place of self-acceptance, and follow through on your self-empowerment plan, life becomes exactly what you want it to be.
Because, as they always say, life is what you make it… So ask yourself, who are you making it for?