While
standing in line to pay for my purchase the other day, I got talking with the
cashier. We discovered we saw eye-to-eye
on a lot of life’s philosophies, not the least of which encompassed our beliefs
on self-actualization and empowerment.
I
shared how I believe it’s everyone’s responsibility to actively seek
self-empowerment. How to do so, one must
first conquer self-actualization, or at the very least, be quite a ways down
that road. We went on to discuss how
stripping back one’s life to the more basic essentials can go a long ways
towards self-actualizing. For without
and endless parade of things getting in the way, one has a better chance of
seeing what they need in life, having an open enough mind to self-analyze and
the tenacity to pursue that which they need.
Once this process begins and the person accepts not only their goals but
also their shortcomings, they are well on their way to self-actualizing.
It’s
at this time I believe self-empowerment begins to kick in. Think of it this way. If a person is moping around, not pleased
with themselves, their station in life, the way they look, feel, interact with
others or where they’re headed, there’s little chance of them having higher
self-esteem. In my opinion, high
self-esteem is crucial to self-empowerment.
If
a person is lacking belief in themselves or that they’re capable of
accomplishing what they set out to do, there’s scarcely a point in them trying,
for they’re bound to fail. Worse yet, in
this self-deprecating state of mind, the person is unlikely to recognize why they fell short their mark. Instead of looking internally for what they did or didn’t do, the person will
probably blame the outcome on others or surrounding circumstances. This serves no purpose other than to further
hold the person back.
This
state of self-imposed immobility is indicative of those who are unwilling to
try to stand on their own. Instead of
taking the initiative to improve upon and accept themselves, they’re more prone
to lean on others as crutches. In doing
so, they constantly lean on others seeking approval or worse, when they don’t
get the level of appreciation they believe they deserve, they then act out in
childish ways—a feeble attempt to force others to pay attention to them.
Left unchecked, this unhealthy
cycle perpetuates upon itself, alienates others and leaves the person
ultimately standing alone, that which they were seeking to avoid in the first
place. So how does one avoid the
pitfalls of self-imposed immobility, progress towards self-actualization and
achieve self-empowerment? Simple. They take responsibility for themselves and
their actions, being ever mindful of how they treat others. By adopting this mindset, folks free
themselves to live a happier more fulfilling life where they’re able to
interact with others in healthier ways and begin to like—really and truly like—the person they’re becoming.
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