Shame: it’s the “S” word that echoes in the clutter of our minds for miles. It asks, “How did I get here?”
Chasing after perfection is like chasing that pretty rainbow in the sky. You’re never going to reach the end of it and the sooner you realize that, you will save yourself from a lot of heartache. The pot at the end seems so tempting, but that pot of shiny gold is really a pot of dirty coals.
“If I can just look as beautiful as her,” the perfectionistic voice asks, or “If only he looked at me the same way he looks at her. What can I do to win him over?”
Thoughts that seem so miniscule can sometimes turn into actions that you never intended, and this is where you slam into shame like a brick wall.
I hear stories about girls who mistakenly think guys are interested in them, and before you know it they’re in bed together. There is almost always one person (usually the girl), who feels completely shameful about what happened.
Shame isn’t always the product of something that serious. It could be, “Oops! I ate my roommates last chocolate chip cookie. Now what?”
It is birthed when you know you’ve done something wrong or embarrassing and you feel guilty about it.
My goal here isn’t to pounce on anyone’s head about doing shameful things, nor is it to make you feel any worse than you may or may not feel. I just want you to know that you can stop shame from eating at you, and you can give it the boot. This is how:
Be yourself.
Sounds cliché, I know. Be real with people. Stay authentic and embrace your uniqueness! There is no one on this earth who is like you. No one can replace you. You don’t have to change for anyone. Not even someone who you may like.
Don’t break under pressure.
There will be times in life, especially throughout college, when you will be pressured. Stand firm in what you know to be right. If you don’t want to drink, don’t drink. If you don’t want to date, good for you. If you want to be abstinent, more power to you!
Know you worth.
This is such an important part of taking care of yourself. When you know who you are and who you are called to be, no one can take that from you. Someone can say that you aren’t good enough, but what does God say? Who will you choose to believe?
Shame is a sneaky little snake. He really knows how to bite you where it hurts, but you have the power to crush him under your feet.
I have faith in you, beautiful! Say goodbye to shame for me.
Photo Credit: Cover, 1.