Protestantism

» paper_turtle - Are We Who?

Ollie wrote:
The key to a healthy identity . . . is flexibility.
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Don't limit yourself to your own idea about who you are.
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In response, Phil wrote:
Accept yourself for who you are?
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Is that a key?
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Think about it for a while--it's a blanket statement loaded with assumptions.
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Anything we think about ourselves *can* be a limitation. For example: Jane thinks of herself as shy and therefore avoids social situations. Or, John, at age 65 considers himself "too old" to learn how to tango.
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But Mary, also shy, says to herself, "Being shy is cool. If there were nothing but extraverts in the world, we's all soon burn out." And Joe, at age 70, says, "I'm as young as I feel, and takes up sky diving."
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From the POV of psychological therapy, people are most motivated to make positive changes if and when they accept themselves, flaws and all. Acceptance doesn't have to equal complacency. It simply means you accept as real Iand not altogether bad) every part of yourself.
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Remember what Jesus said about the little children?
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......
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Am I like a little child?
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Are you?
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Well, we are all, sometimes, childish. But having child-like innocence, openness, and trust can be something of a challenge--especially for intellectual males. (wink)
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle