Monday, August 07, 2023

A Good Question...

I get these daily prompts for an online gratitude journal. I'm not really good at writing everyday and I often just write a short, simple response when I do write. The prompts are a good way of just reflecting on different aspects of life and often remind me of some people that have helped me or been influential along the way.

Today's prompt is interesting--

     What do others like about you that you have never loved about yourself?
     Maybe try believing them a little more.

I really don't know.
As I've gotten older I have also decided that I don't really care what others like or don't like about me. I've also done much more internal reflection and am pretty happy with who I am at this point. Yeah, I've got things that I'm working on, but that's a part of the process of making my way through life.

Sure, I want to be a likable kind of guy -- not too likable, though. I don't want people to actually want to be around me all the time. But I realize that I don't have any control over how people feel about me. I may say or do something stupid and offend someone. They'll decide if that's a characteristic part of my personality or not and judge me accordingly.
We all do that. Some are just more gracious about it than others. 

I don't think I have issues of self esteem or am overly critical of myself. 
If there is a thing that I wish I would have done differently along the way it is that I sometimes wish I would have put a greater emphasis on education. I've done well with the little schooling I've had and I still love to learn, but formal education and self learning are perceived very differently by others. At this point, it's a small thing and I don't worry about it. It's just a thing.

How about you?
Is there something people like about you that you never really cared for about yourself?
Maybe something to contemplate today.

John

1 comment:

Mike said...

You hit lots of nails on the head here.