Last week we ask, “Do others know the real you?” We talked about some signs of a person who is not showing others who they really are. We also laid out the first step in the process of letting others know who you are really, which is to know thy self.
Today we will explore the second step in the process, embracing the real you.
It is one thing to know thy self; it is quite another to embrace what you know about yourself. You really cannot effectively make yourself known to others if you have not embraced who you are.
The struggle to embrace the real you may have come from a number of different places.
- Growing up in an abusive home.
- Always being compared with others.
- Having unrealistic expectations set for you while growing up.
- Always being reminded of the wrongs you did.
- Being put down by those closest to you: parents, siblings, family, etc.
- Fear of rejection.
Some other reason may have led you to not embracing the real you. You still carry the wounds of the past, or you are still trying to live up to someone else’s expectations. Before you can begin to let others know the real you, you must first accept and embrace the real you.
Looking over last week’s work of knowing who are you, you may have discovered some things about yourself that you don’t like. You probably have regrets about some things you did and to this day you are still living with the consequences. Perhaps you also discovered some things you are not as good in as you thought you were. How should you go about embracing these things about yourself?
- Recognize that you cannot change the past; therefore, it serves you no good purpose to continue revisiting it or constantly reliving it, wishing it could be different. The reality is, the past is what it is – the past. Accept the past as a part of who you are that cannot and will not change. Take responsibility for what you had control over, and deal with whatever consequences have followed. Beyond that, you are wasting energy from the present on something that will never change.
- Recognize what you are good at, regardless of what the negative voices of the past or present are saying. You have to see the good in you as God’s gifts to you, and you should not be afraid or ashamed to celebrate and live them out.
We all have strengths and weaknesses; we all have things about the past we wish were not a part of our life. Yet only those who fully embrace who they are now are able to let others know who we really are.
To embrace who you are means to accept yourself without the need to apologize or be ashamed.
Have you truly embraced who you are, or are you still struggling to let go of the past? As you still trying to please others?
This week, identify at least one thing about the real you that you have been keeping buried and tell it to at least one person. See it as a small but important step in embracing the real you.
Next week will look at how to make the real you known to others.
If you would like help in achieving your goals in any area of your life, call us at 208-880-0307 or email us at errol@errolcarrim.com to schedule a complimentary coaching session. To read Errol’s other posts, visit Christ-Centered Life Coaching.