Lately I have been struck by how insecure and unsure people around me are. If you pay attention, I'm sure you will see it too. It presents itself as negativity and put downs. I have encountered it a lot lately. People around me have put down just about everything I want to do and everyone I spend my time with.
Normally, these put downs would hurt my feelings, but they really don't anymore. I have been learning to spot them as people who are insecure in themselves and put other people down as a way to bring themselves some sort of small comfort. I feel sad for these people. I feel sad for them because I wish they would just embrace who God made them to be because they truly have a lot going for them!
Another reason the negativity doesn't get to me is because over this past year, I have really come to know who I am. Not only that, but I have really come to love who I am! God made me completely unique and I am definitely not perfect, but I am confident and I don't need to put others down to make myself feel better.
Here's a bit about what I have learned to accept about myself this year:
*I am not skinny and I never will be. This is OK with me because I am also not fat! I am a beautiful curvy woman with a husband who is absolutely crazy about the way that I look and tells me every single day. With a guy like that, how could I not be confident??!!
*I am absolutely NOT cool! I like really dorky things and I'm totally OK with it. I used to try and pretend to like things that I thought would make me appear cooler, but I'm done with that! So what if I watch stupid teeny-bopper shows on TV and love cheesy girly movies and cheesy girly books more than the classics? Who cares if I would rather go to Black Angus at 5:00pm on a Saturday night (to avoid the crowds) than go out to a club or bar? I don't care that I go to bed around 11, even if I don't have something to do the next day! I am not cool and I'm OK with it!
*I used to be really sensitive to people who told me they didn't like my tattoos, but now I love my tattoos, even if some other people think they are stupid and ugly! I really do. I LOVE THEM! They are both so meaningful to me. So, go ahead! Put them down! I don't care. I have my husbands initials on my wrist and a floral design going up my side with a reference to my favorite Bible verse, Isaiah 40:8 which says, "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the LORD stands forever." Amen. That verse is powerful and I love having it on me! Not to mention my husband is also crazy about my tattoos!
*I don't really have one specific best friend that I do everything with. I know a lot of people that do and it always bothered me that I didn't, but recently I have been SO blessed by the friends that God has put in my life! I was thinking about it and I have A LOT of good friends that I know I could call for anything! Maybe there isn't one specific one that rises above the rest, but there are some great girls in my life and I am happy.
I could keep going on, but I'm going to stop! Those are some things I have learned to accept about myself in the last year. God is teaching me to be confident in the way He made me and its such a good feeling to finally be enjoying those little quirks about me that I used to hate! I just pray that the people around me who are still so insecure will realize that they should embrace who they are and stop putting me and others down as a way to make themselves feel better. Trust me, it doesn't work!
S
Laura and I
