People Who Like You
25 Aug 2009 ~ Categories: blog • eco-living • mind • wellness
So this IO blog is really all about finding, building, being A Bridge to Your Better Side. This has always been our mission at International Orange (a moniker we borrowed from the paint color of the Golden Gate Bridge itself), and with this blog as a forum, we aim to share ideas, inspiration and empowerment for friends, IO team members, clients and readers.
I cherish the dialogue these conversations can foster, and hope to incite and inspire a sense of community. In my own community, I have a ground rule I try to stick to.
Spend most of my time with people who like me for who I am (not what I might be able to do for them or what I might become someday, but who I am as is). Easier said than done?
Now you are thinking, “obviously that would be nice but is that even possible?” Yes, I know it’s possible and I think it’s incredibly important. On the flip side, it’s important to recognize that not everyone will like you for who you are, and that’s just the way it is. I love this saying: “It’s none of my business what you think of me.” It seems to help. And yes, sometimes it’s important to learn from those who don’t like us or vice versa because of the mirror they put up for us, but that’s a blog entry for another day.
Through the years, I’ve learned to cultivate a group of friends and business cohorts who appreciate me as I am most of the time… and vice versa. Unconditional love is the best medicine, and friends, family and community members who support me as is make me feel accepted and beautiful in the here and now. It’s that simple although living in the simple may feel very complicate at times, especially if you are in a phase of waking up and shedding the Negative Nelly’s from your inner circle.
Somehow, unconditional support builds a landscape for authentic change and growth to bubble up more naturally. Being unconditional is a practice and a tough one for the human brain (in fact conditionality is a necessary albeit overused defense mechanism), but when it comes to healing the human heart, unconditional love is the special sauce. With it, we can relax into becoming our truest selves, when given the space and freedom to discover it without pressure. This work is worth it.
And no, you can’t always love everyone, no matter how “spiritual” you try to be (unless we’ve reached enlightenment). Clearly, people are complex, and personalities don’t always jibe. But if you do your best to surround yourself with people who like you (the REAL you) there’s a good chance you’ll be a lot happier.
Allow room for your true, authentic self to flower. It’s that part of you that is the most lovable and unique side of you anyway. Let ‘er rip.
Love,
Amy
