Today I am thinking about people in general and our inability to own up to our shortcomings and mistakes.
We are so quick to place blame and make excuses for our actions. We readily see the flaws in others and have very little compassion for the transgressions of others, even when we have been in the exact same place.
I wonder how we can look into the mirror at our own reflection and take ourselves so seriously knowing who we really are?
Most of know we are not perfect. Most of us accept that we have made, and will probably continue to make, mistakes, bad choices and exercise poor judgement. A lot, if not all of us, minimize this. Many of us sit in judgement of those we see struggling to get through life with some dignity, muddling through mistakes and mishaps. When we remember we have struggled, we have made mistakes, and we are far from perfect we can soften our heart and find compassion. If we constantly place blame and find fault with everyone but ourselves however, peace will indeed be illusive.
Particularly in a relationship, be it a romantic, friendship, co workers or even neighbors, finger pointing, and blame placing are such negative aspects that the relationship can be totally ripped apart and repair can be difficult if not impossible. All because of that mentality of "what you did was so much worse than what I did". Own it! For crying out loud we cannot run away from our responsibility of self. Others see and know we are not perfect, why can we not accept that ourselves? Bitterness and unhappiness are killers of joy and peace. Looking for others to blame for your circumstances and failures will eat you alive.
In short I want to accept my shortcomings, strive to be a better person and love myself. I want to not be judgmental and know when to walk away from toxic relationships. I want to care without being taken advantage of. I want to go to bed at night thinking, "I have enjoyed my life today and I did it my way without judgement and I'm happy".
I have finally realize that indeed all things have a season and sometimes things end and its okay. Other things move into our lives and bring new ideas, situations and experiences. Moving forward often is painful, but it is so very rewarding.
The first step in any journey is knowing where we want to go and who we want to be. We must own our feelings and our mistakes. That's how we grown. We need to like what we see in the mirror. If we don't like what we see in our own skin it will be very hard to like anyone else.
I have learned so much about myself over the past few years. I have come to have a respect for myself that I never had before. I like it. I like feeling a little more in control of my feelings, my future. I am truly living my life my way and I am loving it!
