Your Best Self

 We all have many parts to ourselves.  Some we know, some we don’t.  Our mission is to know as many parts of ourselves as we can.  Different ones reveal themselves to us at different time, if we are willing to see them. It does take a fearless willingness, though.  Some of those parts are not ones that we want to claim. But when we do, we can them transform them into something better.  But it is the claiming that allows that to happen.  Any part of ourselves  that we push away or try to hide will just become stronger and slip out when we least expect it.  In other words who we are cannot be denied. 
 
So then, what is the best part of ourselves?  Is it that part which is socially acceptable?  The part that everyone likes?  That which we are praised for?  It would be nice but those parts are the adapted parts of ourselves.  The places that we learned early in childhood to cultivate because then we were “good.”  
 
The best parts of us, in my opinion, are when we are being genuinely, without apology ourselves.  Do I mean when we throw tantrums, say whatever comes into our minds?  Not at all.  When we are being genuine we are open, loving and real. We do not need others to do what we want.  We don’t need the world to be perfect.  We accept graciously who we are, what is going on and remain open and optimistic. 
 
How do we arrive at that place?  That is the question.  It takes a lot to get there.  In order to do that we have to accept ourselves as we are.  We have to accept others as they are.  And we have to have something that connects us to that which is  larger than just ourselves.  We are all here as a part of something, whatever that is for us. It’s different for everyone.  And, that connection must be genuine.  It can’t be in a building once a week.  It is something that has to be in our awareness all the time, or at least most of the time.  And, we have to actively choose it. It can only come from our inner knowing.  In other words, we know when we’re there and we know when we’re not. You cannot follow a formula to get there.  You have to find your own way. To me, that’s the quest  for which we are here.
 
In my experience, very few are there. It’s a life-long journey, something we strive for.  I remember someone who was considered a spiritual guru was being interviewed by Oprah.  She asked if he was in that aware space all the time.  His answer was, “On my good days.”  That was an honest answer and it’s where most of us who seek this are.  On our good days.
 
My best to you in finding your best self, its worth the journey
Dianne J. Shaver, M.A.
https://www.entrepreneurmindworld.com