Monday Mood: Don't Take Yourself To Seriously

Our fears and insecurities are the biggest thing that limit what we accomplish in our lives. Don't get me wrong, I knew very early on that I didn't have the physical build to be a world class runner, and no amount of work would overcome that, BUT, that didn't mean that I couldn't run, and have a great deal of fun, and I did for a decade or so. I had to overcome my fear of finishing in the middle or the back of the field, and do it because I wanted to finish. Finishing was my victory once I overcame my insecurity. I was the problem, until I let go of that fear. 

We all struggle with this. The richest people in the world, continue to mound up wealth, out of an irrational fear of going broke. They continue to work - when their time could be focused on making the world a better place. They are somehow convinced that their role in the world is to stack up riches and that somehow will make everything okay, while secretly fearing that they will screw it all up and end up with nothing. I am far from the richest man in the world, but I let the same irrational fear that I am going to somehow screw it all up, stand in the way of my enjoying what I have, and what I can do with it while I am here to make the world a better place. I am the problem. 

I am - well to be honest an aging fat man. I am fat and lumpy in ways that I fear others will judge me for. In truth, others won't notice me most of the time, and if they do, they will forget what I look like, at the next passing beefcake. And yet, unless I ignore this, I let it limit my enjoyment of life. Go to the pool, go to the beach, take that cruise. If they don't like the view, they will look away. The problem is not the judgement of others, it is me. 

One of my favorite sayings is be creative, make an ass of yourself, who  cares? Usually the only person who cares is you. We are the problem, we take ourselves far too seriously.