When we place too much value on others’ opinions of us, we are slaves.
We laugh too hard and too loud in social gatherings to make it seem like we have the right sense of humor. We shove our favorite yellow miniskirt into the back of the closet and put on a pair of ripped jeans instead because that’s what everyone else is wearing. We bite our tongue, afraid to say what’s on our minds in case someone responds with a dubiously raised eyebrow or a smirk. We are weak because we think their judgments matter.
When we commit ourselves to too many things at once, we are slaves.
We sign up for five different leadership positions in various clubs and organizations because it looks good on our resumés. We juggle 21 credits of classes plus a job because busier is better, right? We book up our calendars with various color-coded activities so the entire week is a solid block of responsibilities one after the other. We are overloaded and sleep-deprived, enslaved by the high and the prestige of being constantly busy.
When we are unkind to other people, we are slaves.
We dish out backhanded compliments, make snide remarks, and spread rumors as casually as if talking about the weather. We let micro-aggressions slip from our mouths without thinking about what we are saying. We let jealousy overtake our minds and hearts so that we feel it’s acceptable to envy others for what they have, instead of appreciating who they are with respect to who we are. We are cowardly in our unfair treatment of others.
When we know something is bad for us but we do it anyway, we are slaves.
We do something over and over again because it feels good. We ignore the consequences and horribly distort the idea of living in the moment. We procrastinate and act irresponsibly even when we know our actions will hurt others and ourselves. We forget how much better life could be later if we muster the courage to do the right thing now.
When we let fear and insecurity overrule our gifts and abilities, we are slaves.
We second-guess ourselves on every decision we make. We use self-deprecation as humor, but on the inside, we feel an incessant hollowness. We wish fervently for everything we want to be and scorn ourselves for everything we are not. We shy away from doing things we really want to do because we’re paralyzed by the idea of not being [immediately] smart or fast or competent or strong or good enough. We let our what-ifs be our downfall.
When we finally recognize who we truly are, we are no longer slaves.
When we realize that others’ opinions and judgments of us are nothing more than words, we snap the rusted and weak links on the chains that bind us.
When we take the time to slow down, breathe, and appreciate the beauty of what we do, we stop struggling against our suffocating ties.
When we open our eyes to the fact that everyone is equally flawed and equally precious, we gain a greater respect and admiration for the people in our lives.
When we stop to think about the consequences of our actions, we are capable of charting a more fruitful and beautiful path for our future selves.
When we believe in ourselves and know in our heart of hearts where our true strength comes from, we finally break free.
All photos courtesy of Pixabay