Self-Actualization
by Cindy Hanna
As people prepare for the holidays, a nagging thought gnaws at our minds.
“I have to make my New Year’s Resolution:”
- Lose seventeen pounds
- Run three miles, four days a week
- Bring my significant other flowers once a month—just because
- Spend less time at work on personal emails
- Sort through the piles of papers in my junk room
Despite the fact that most of us have failed to accomplish even one of last year's New Year’s Resolutions, we each hold the faith that this year will be different; these will be the resolutions that stick. Although we are sincere with our intentions, all of us are guilty of missing the most important element in making a lasting resolution. We fail to come to peace with who we really are.
I must look myself in the mirror and truly see myself.
Do I love the woman in the mirror?
If I don’t, what will it matter if I shed those pounds, run my weekly miles, surprise my loved one with flowers, address personal emails once home, or color-code my closet? None of this matters if who I see in the mirror is not a true reflection of my desired self.
How many of us actually know who we are? Do we value ourselves by what we get accomplished in a day or, perhaps, by how we serve others? Still, how can we serve others and be most productive if we are not at peace with who we are?
What about ourselves? When was the last time you took an hour or two, completely alone, to treat the child within you? When was the last time you walked a tree-canopied street in the Claremont village, hiked the Wilderness Trail, headed to Starbucks and curled up with a good book over a steaming cup of java, or went to Michael’s and bought some acrylic paint for that canvas you’ve been meaning to paint. These are all amazingly simple tasks, which almost consistently evade us.
This “Me Date” is singularly the most important thing we can do for ourselves, for it begins to teach us that we matter and that we are important. It builds our self-confidence. Engaging in a Me Date forces us to take a closer look at what we need in ourselves. Perhaps we’re seeking inner peace, or harmony with our universe, or simply acceptance of our idiosyncrasies. With our self-worth and self-confidence empowered, we can succeed at anything to which we set our minds.
Make this year’s resolution different; make it the one that sticks. My challenge to you is simple; treat yourself to a Me Date once a week. Keep this up for three months, and you’ll begin to see doorway after doorway readily open for you. Don’t be surprised if you begin planning more than one of these dates per week. As you begin to feel more empowered and even perhaps more remarkable, the world around you may literally become your oyster. You’ll be more motivated to achieve those resolutions you set for yourself and perhaps even create new ones. Go ahead; try it. What do you have to lose? After all, if you fail, there’s always next year’s New Year’s Resolutions.