Look in the Mirror

No one on the planet knows you better than you know yourself. That is a scary reality to think about if you are not comfortable with who you are. Some people choose to escape and run from who they are via external substances such as drugs, alcohol, or sex. Some people cannot live with the choices they have previously made and turn to the same source of escape. A valuable practice to become okay with who you are is to put yourself in situations where you are alone. Once you begin to look into the mirror with who you are, you are able to identify areas where you need to change, where you need to lean more into, and find acceptance for the person you are. We are all different and bring unique characteristics to the table; we need to embrace them.

The metaphor of looking into a mirror is important because, again, we are the people who know ourselves the best. Talking about ourselves with guidance, such as therapists, can help us unlock truths, but the reality is we are the only people who can find them. With this in mind, it is also important to be honest with what we see in ourselves. If our mom, partner, best friend, and colleague are all asked to describe our strengths, there is near certainty that they will answer differently and either oversell or undersell our capabilities. We must be the source of truth and accept who we are in honest ways. Internal honesty is the key to honing in on exactly who we are.

An unwillingness to “look in the mirror” in an honest fashion can also lead to external problems with those around us. Overstating our individual abilities or contributions can set us up to place blame on others when projects go poorly. Taking an accurate assessment of oneself leads to a willingness to increase accountability when problems or failures occur as a member of the team. At the same time, understating our individuality can lead us to feel shame about our bodies, shyness about our potential, and fear to contribute. We should want to avoid vast overstatements and understatements when viewing ourselves. When all is said and done, we will be with ourselves the longest out of anyone else on Earth. We have time to get to know who we are. Start by looking in the mirror today.

What do you see?