November 29, 2010
Living for Ourselves
Trying to Please Others We don't need to live seeking approval from our parents or others; this can be overcome no matter what your age.
Most of us come to a point in our lives when we question why we are doing what we are doing, and many of us come to realize that we may be living our lives in an effort to make our parents happy. This realization can dawn when we are in our 20s, our 40s, or even later, depending upon how tight a hold our family of origin has on our psyche. We may feel shocked or depressed by this information, but we can trust that it is coming to us at this time because we are ready to find out what it would mean to live our lives for ourselves, following the call of our own soul, and refusing any longer to be beholden to someone else's expectations.
One of the most common reasons we are so tied into making our parents, or others, happy, is that we were not properly mirrored when we were children. We were not honored as individuals in our own right, with a will and purpose of our own, to be determined by our own unfolding. As a result, we learned to look outside of ourselves for approval, support, and direction rather than look within. The good news is that the part of us that was not adequately nurtured is still there, inside us, like a seed that has not yet received the sunlight and moisture it needs to open and to allow its inner contents to unfurl. It is never too late to provide ourselves with what we need to awaken this inner being.
There are many ways to create a safe container for ourselves so that we can turn within and shine the light of awareness there. We may join a support group, go to therapy, or start a practice of journaling every day for half an hour. This experience of becoming is well worth the difficult work that may be required of us to get there. In whatever process we choose, we may feel worse before we feel better, but we will ultimately find out how to live our lives for ourselves and how to make ourselves happy.
Top 10 DailyOM Courses: 1. Make Yourself a Money Magnet
2. A Year of Rumi
3. The Skinny Thinking Thought Diet
4. Heal Your Money Karma
5. Find True Love in 27 Days
6. Overcoming Self-Sabotage
7. Master the Keys of Spiritual Protection
8. Reinventing The Body, Resurrecting the Soul
9. 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse
10. Skinny Thinking: Taking Off The Weight
New Courses | All Courses
Click here for the movie WALK-IN by DailyOM co-founder Scott Blum What do you think?
Discuss this article and share your opinion Want more DailyOM?
Register for your free email, or browse all articles | |  Share the OM:
  From the Library:
The Answer to How is Yes: Acting on What Matters
by Peter Block More DailyOM:
On-line Courses Soul Readings Today's Horoscopes Shop the Marketplace Join the Community |
No comments:
Post a Comment