What Do You Do?

When meeting someone for the first time, adults often ask, "What do you do?" Doctors are seen to be more valuable than mechanics, lawyers more important than a stay at home mom. Our society seems to assign worth according to what people do and how much money they earn.

But what about someone who's gift is serving the homeless? Or training guide dogs for the blind? Or singing and playing music? What about the person who works behind the scenes of an event but is rarely seen?

One girl I know, who was subjected to constant teasing at school, found it impossible to identify her talents and doubted her value to society. Yet she loved visiting nursing homes. Those elderly men and women would certainly have appreciated someone who was willing to sit and talk with them.

As another who was bullied, I also grew up with little idea of my self worth. Others had been telling me I was no good for so long, I'd begun to believe it. It was years before I could see I was valuable as a person. This was partly through finding encouraging friends, positive mentors, and counselling.

I have a son who I absolutely adore. I still watch him as he sleeps. And everything he does delights me. The way he walks, the way his eyes light up when his daddy arrives home. Each new word, each new discovery causes me as much joy as it does him.

Even when he's misbehaved and I have to tell him off or send him to his room, I still love him. I might be angry with him for a short time but it doesn't change the way I feel about him.

Someone once said, "A friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you anyway in all your flaws and funny ways."

Writer Philip Yancey said, "There is nothing I can do to make my father or mother love me more and there is nothing I can do to make them love me less."

A truly loving father and/or mother likes and accepts me as I am because my worth comes not from what I do or how much money I make but because they have become my true friend.

The proper love of self is never self centered!

When we are comfortable in caring for ourselves we can reach out to others and make them comfortable with themselves, this is the essence of true love.

Let's take a look at how we can properly love and respect ourselves because if we can do this and relax about who we are we can then enjoy other people without the pressures of their opinions of us shaping how we behave or how we accept ourselves.

With the pressure of their opinions off of our shoulders we can make the best possible decisions for ourselves in any given situation. Let's look at the definition of love in the dictionary, you might be surprised at what you are reading:

Definition of Love:

1. A deep tender feeling of affection (for yourself)
2. A belief in the attractive qualities of a person (or yourself).
3. A sense of underlying oneness (within yourself).
4. It also includes sexual passion. (This is only one dimension of love)

Love can be multi dimensional and includes not only the idea of physical love but other forms of love, such as, love and respect for others, and a sense of self that you love yourself and know who you are self respect.

Definition of Respect:

1. It means to appreciate or think highly of someone (or yourself).
2. To willingly show polite thoughtfulness or selflessness towards someone (or yourself).

Mini Assignment Just for You:

1. With a piece of paper, write down as many things as you can that you like about yourself.
2. Now, do the same for the things you don't like about yourself.
3. Compare your lists which one is longer? Why do you think that is true?
4. Are you more positive or negative towards yourself in your daily thoughts?
5. What do you think you can do to change your thinking towards yourself?

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