We live in a world today where identity crisis is as common as breathing in and out, most folks have no sense whatsoever of what they are up to in life and what they are living for.
Just go about and ask 100 people, who they are and what they want out of life, and just about 99% will give you a vague Idea of who they think! they are. No concrete answers. try it out and find it out for yourself.
The search for identity has led to many people developing and maintaining self destructive habits, being deluded and all together lost in a quest to make and give meaning to their lives.
Scores of drug abuse, murders, unruliness, phoniness and the like are pointers to this very chronic epidemic that has entrenched the deeper recesses of humanity for far too long.
But what exactly is the cause of identity crisis? is it that elusive? can one find meaning and discover purpose in life? I wonder, lets read on.
Psychologists, theologians, the wise men of old, have told us time and time again that we are creatures of our habits, if that premise is true, then I believe that the key or turning point in building and maintaining right/good habits for any individual is directly proportional to the degree that one accepts his/her self - YES! I am talking about self acceptance!
Maxwell Maltz in his book psycocybernetics, articulated the subject of self acceptance so well that I find it quite irresistible to lend most of what he said in here.
He said:
"No real success or genuine happiness is possible until a person gains some degree of self acceptance.
The most miserable and tortured people in the world are those who are continually straining and striving to convince themselves and others that they are something other than what they basically are.
And there is no relief and satisfaction like that comes when one finally gives up shams and pretences and is willing to be himself/herself.
Your 'self' right now, is what it has always been and all that it can ever be. You did not create it. You can not change it. You can however realise it and make the most of what already is by gaining a true mental picture of your actual self.
There is no use straining to be somebody. You are what you are now.
You are somebody, not because you've made a million dollars or drive the biggest car in your block or win at the bridge - but because God created you in His Own Image
Most of us are better, wiser, stronger, more competent - now than we realise.
Creating a better self Image does not create new abilities, talents, power - it releases and utilises them.
We can change our personality, but not our basic self. Personality is a tool, an outlet, a focal point, of the 'self' that we use in dealing with the world. It is the sum of our habits, attitudes, learned skills, which we use as a method of expressing ourselves.
Self acceptance means accepting and coming to terms with ourselves now, just as we are. with all our faults, weaknesses, shortcoming's, errors as well as our assets & strengths.
Lets admit to ourselves - and accept the fact that our personality, our 'expressed self' or what some psychologists call our actual self is always imperfect and short of the mark.
No one ever succeeds during a lifetime in fully expressing or bringing in to actuality all the potentialities of the real self(Image of God).
In our actual- expressed self, we never exhaust all possibilities and powers of the real self.
We can always learn more, perform better, behave better. The actual self is necessarily imperfect. Through out life, it is always moving toward an Ideal goal, but never arriving.
The actual self is never static but a dynamic thing. It is never completed and final but always in a state of growth
It is important that we learn to accept this actual self with all its imperfections, because it is the only vehicle we have"
That is definitely food for thought, hmmm..., self acceptance, what a pivotal lifestyle!
Further,..
"We are engineered as goal- seeking mechanisms. We are built that way.
When we have no personal goals which we are interested in & which means something to us, we are apt to 'go a round in cycles', feel 'lost' and find life 'aimless' and 'purposeless'.
We are built to conquer environment, solve problems, achieve goals and we find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve.
People who say that life is not worth living are really saying that they themselves have no personal goals which are worthwhile.
Always have something a head of you to 'look forward to' - to work for and hope for.
Look forward, not backward. Develop a nostalgia for the future.
In addition to your personal goals, have at least one impersonal goal to help your fellow man, not out of duty but because you want to.
Absolutely, spot on, I could not resist these wise words and thought would pass them on to you as well, I hope you found them very edifying as I did.
Be all you can be and with Christ in you the hope of glory, let every aspect of your life and living be glorious and just be yourself.
I love you, speak to you soon a gain. Take care.
Peace & Love
Libs.
