Meri's Musings

Are you happy you are who you are? Often, it takes much work to get to this place of. . .  more than mere acceptance, a place of celebration. A place where we realize (as Carole King said) you've got to take the bitter  with the sweet. If you're not there yet, what do you need to change? Do you see yourself as others see you? If you're too self-critical, where does that come from? What old tapes are you playing too often? What are your best qualities? What are the benefits of your worst qualities?

Too many little girls are taught to be nice to color inside the lines to squelch their anger to put others first always. But wholeness comes from integrating light and shadow. Anger signals boundary violations and the need to teach others  what is acceptable and what won't be tolerated. Putting others first all the damn time just makes us feel depleted  taken for granted and unimportant except as a functionary  for others. Be your WHOLE quirky beautiful self not some truncated, socially prescribed version of yourself.

I'm a little slow on the uptake posting this photo because I had something else in mind to post on Friday before I remembered Nina's self-portrait day. And then there's Sepia Saturday, always a fun thing to participate in, so this is the first opportunity to focus on me. I like this photo because: I was feeling sassy that day the sky was blue and the sun was out and I was having fun window shopping I looked fashionable in my blue jeans,  tailored white shirt,  and brown leather jacket ( or at least that's my story and I'm stickin' with it ) it looks like the scarf in the window is hanging over my shoulder and I'm no dummy You can see how long my hair is I could be any woman because  my face doesn't show so it's me but not necessarily me and that fits with my belief that all women are sisters under the skin I think I look taller and skinnier than I really am and that's an illusion I'm willing to live with CELEBRATE YOURSELF!