Thursday, May 26, 2011

Experience

Experience teaches only the teachable.
Aldous Huxley

From my Daily Positive Affirmations for today.  My goal:

I am healthy in all aspects of my being
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Daily Affirmations at Affirmation Planet
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I am continuing contemplating "Who I Am?"  Much of my life I was labeled by my accomplishments or my behaviors.  Hitting the teen years I was called 'Ding-a-ling', 'Lights are on but nobody's home', clumsy, and other names that were less than complimentary.  Those names are not who I am.  Everyone was shocked when I worked my way into the top 5% of my graduating class.  But an honor student is what I did but not who I am.  After 30 years, I finally graduated with a degree in photography.  I love shooting pictures but it still isn't who I am.  My favorite label is "Mom."  I am a Mom to some of the most amazing people that married or are with some wonderful people that have expanded my title to "Grandma."  But that still isn't who I am.  I bring myself to all these different experiences.  People perceive my actions in all different lights.  I am not defined by someones perception and I am not defined by my experiences.  All these happenings and interactions influence me both positively and negatively.  The amazing thing I am discovering that I decide Who I Am.  I can remake that decision everyday.  How I see myself is the final answer.  I no longer need to look outside myself for my answer because it is inside of me and has been all along.  I just couldn't see that with all the darkness that swirled around to confuse and discourage.  KavinCoach asked me years ago which one was real.  Now I know.  None of my alters alone were real.  I am Me.  All of ME.  I am not defined by others.  I am not defined by my experience.  I am only defined by me and I am a work in progress.  

4 comments:

mulderfan said...

"I am only defined by me and I am a work in progress."

This would make a great motto for us all, Ruth!

Enjoy your journey, mulderfan

Laurel Hawkes said...

Amen. :-)

Judy said...

Dear Ruth,

It's important for us to see ourselves the way God sees us. God sees us as His precious daughters in Christ, royalty, beloved, the apple of His eye, daughters of Zion, holy, blameless, righteous, virtuous, intelligent, capable. God honors us, protects us, and loves us with an undying, unfailing, eternal love that we can't even fathom. The devil always wants to tear us down with his lies about ourselves, but that is not who we are. It's ok to look within to encourage ourselves, but it's even better to meditate on God's word and about the truth about ourselves.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Judy

Ruth said...

Thanks mulderfan and Laurel.

Judy, I agree.