By “hold your sense of self loosely” I do not mean you are easily swayed by the prevailing winds or that you do not have a good self-concept or strong, well-anchored identity. Rather that you do not feel the desire to defend your views or take offense when others see the world differently or a need to convince others of the “rightness” of you and your belief systems. Reality is whatever it is; no one feels the need to “defend” gravity; it just is.
Furthermore, if you are truly sure about and content with who you are and the decisions you’ve made, you do not need to affirm your choices by belittling the choices others have made. They are living their life, you are living yours. The better you feel about yourself, the less you need the approval of others. Remember: It’s SELF Esteem that is important, not “other” esteem.
When you are easily triggered by someone expressing opposing views, when you choose to interpret it as an attack or criticism; it’s really a sign of insecurity more than anything else. So RELEASE! Step back and ask yourself why you are giving away your power, your peace of mind. No matter the intent of others, choose not to take things personally, it’s not really about you so don’t make it so. Don’t pull bad energy inside you, don’t let negativity take up residence inside your head.
Release, relax, move on. There are brighter, better things elsewhere.
Closing Quotes:
“You don’t have to convince anybody of anything…” – Haruki Murakami
“One who knows himself is never disturbed by what you think about him.” – Osho
“You know you are on the right path when you no longer seek validation.” – Unknown
As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier