"Get to know yourself". I have been getting to know myself quite a lot in recent times. Dont always like what I see. Trying to fix it, but its not easy.

Dearest Bob-Jan

Some people gravitate toward crowds and many "friends".
Whereas others may find it valueless, feeling more lonely and sidelined finding themselves flailing even more.

That is why to know oneself, without pretense or excuse or need to explain reaps its rewards.

NEVER to imagine you are a carbon copy of another.
Similarities yes...and then that one chromosome that sets u apart from anybody else.

It is never too late to "get to know yourself"

By the way.

Here is the bummer....

Till the day you die you will get to know a newer version of self. It never stops. That getting to know self.

Life is dynamic as are our surroundings and ask of us.

Hugging you close and most endearingly!

RB.

When the day is done.


"...to remember who you are, does change the game..."

And most important...something to remember...

"...what other people think of you , is none of your business..."


Quoted.

Think about it.



STRENGTH.

Times ain't easy.

Year end approaching and nostalgia setting in .

Some more lonely than others.

Some questioning themselves as to the purpose of it all.



I know it sounds like empty words.

But, I do hope you take something from this.
A chat with an awesome individual yesterday ended with the realisation that one should not blame oneself or think something is wrong with oneself.
Maybe a little mindshift, a reaching out, a conversation...?

To quote:-


"Courage to me is doing something daring, no matter how afraid,

insecure, intimidated, alone, unworthy, incapable, ridiculed

or whatever other paralysing emotions you might feel.

Courage is taking action...no matter what.

So you're afraid? Be afraid.

Be scared silly to the

point you're

trembling

and nauseous,

but do it anyway!"

- Richelle E. Goodrich


You are human as is everybody else.

BELIEVE.

Silence is golden.
Mindfulness a treasure.
Philosophical reflection that of critical thinkers and solution finders.

And thus, when next alone, in the silence, don't be harsh on yourself.
Reflect and....take note.



"...In my quietest hours, I debate, deduce, and decide---who I am versus who I'm meant to be."

- Aura Biru


EMBRACE.

On mortality.

Power

Pain

And

Speaking out.




".....In becoming forcibly and essentially aware of my mortality, and of what I wished and wanted for my life, however short it might be, priorities and omissions became strongly etched in a merciless light and what I most regretted were my silences. Of what had I ever been afraid? To question or to speak as I believed could have meant pain, or death. But we all hurt in so many different ways, all the time, and pain will either change, or end.

Death, on the other hand, is the final silence. And that might be coming quickly, now, without regard for whether I had ever spoken what needed to be said, or had only betrayed myself into small silences, while I planned someday to speak, or waited for someone else's words. And I began to recognize a source of power within myself that comes from the knowledge that while it is most desirable not to be afraid, learning to put fear into a perspective gave me great strength.

I was going to die, if not sooner then later, whether or not I had ever spoken myself. My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you."


- Audre Lorde


COURAGE.

We forget to give credibility and acknowledge LIFE itself.

"...Rather than wandering around in problem-solving mode all day, thinking mainly of what you want to fix about yourself or your life, you can pause for a few moments throughout the day to marvel at what's not broken."


- Kristin Neff


Broken we all are at one point or another and then....to look back and realise the small mercies that were and here we still are.

SELF COMPASSION.

Never to forget to embrace YOUR

....human imperfection, authenticity, and self-compassionin what is now the AI age.

Placing unrealistic expectations on oneself and playing to a fickle fast paced ever evolving society, shall leave you drained, disillusioned and lost.


Self embrace.
Self understand.
Self goal.
Self growth.
Discipline
Dedication
Persistence
Consistency.

DONT BE FOMO.

Concentrate on Self.

"...You have a perfect right to consign us all to hell, rector, but you must allow us the choice of how we get there."

- Raspberry Jam



VALIANCE .

"...Be yourself, but not like that -- Society."

- Anubha Saxena

The danger of playing to society.

Take note.
Learn
Some lessons need to be harder than others.

And remember the worst critic and restriction to your own success is YOU.



SELF REALISATION.

"...I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail."

- Abraham Maslow.

I love this.

The ability to realise that it doesn't have to be "that way". Maybe it is not even "that way".

Seeking a solution rather than buying into the presumption or assumption one has surrounded oneself with and, bought into to the detriment of self.


Take a deep breath, shut your eyes, cut out the secondary noise.

CRITICAL THINKING.