Never Forget
“Remember who you are. Without the number on the scale, your report card or your bank account. Without the amount of friends you have, or the expensive things you own. Know who you are; your raw, true self.
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Image Credit @koukiwalim
Remember when someone told you that you weren't enough...not tall enough, skinny enough, pretty enough, young enough, old enough, smart enough, talented enough, experienced enough, rich enough, educated enough, sophisticated enough, conservative enough, liberal enough? If only you were enough.
Being enough means never forgetting who you are and who you aren't:
You are not a "fat person."
You are not a "patient."
You are not "just the caregiver."
You are not a "childless cat lady.”
You are not “the better half” or “the other half.”
You are not "a bitch."
You are not "only a housewife."
You are much more than any label others might try to pin on you. You are not a category. Does “patient” adequately describe who you are? Does “caregiver” let someone know the real you? Does “housewife” describe your creativity, interests, and abilities? Categories can sometimes be helpful, but they never provide a complete picture. And labels are often demeaning and imply a lack of respect by the person throwing labels around. You are not who or what others want you to be or say you are.
It's important to know who you are. Do you know? Are you kind? Are you compassionate? Are you a good friend? Are you generous? Are you grateful? Are you forgiving? Are you hopeful? Are you honest? If that isn’t you, is it who you want to be? If so, remember that and strive to be those things. It’s a choice. It takes work. It won’t happen overnight or be perfect, but perfection is not the goal.
Remember this: Don't let the medical community tell you who you are. Don't let acquaintances define who you are. Don't let relatives determine who you are. Don't let co-workers set the stage for who you are. Don't let politicians or society dictate who you are. That is your job, not theirs.
Only you can define, determine, and definitively tell your story. Never forget the central core of your being... what you value, what you love, who you love, and how you view the meaning and purpose of life. Those things make up the essence of who you are
Remember who you are because no one can take that away from you...now or ever. So, never forget.
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