...when you know who you are

©2012. Erin’s Echo & Erin Adams-Phillips. All rights reserved. 

 “It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes,” ~Sally Fields ~

I SEE ME...I KNOW WHO I AM!

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Who do you see? Why do you see it? Is your own reflection of you guided by other’s thoughts and opinions? Do you try to transform yourself into the image they want you to be? Do you believe the things they say about you…good or bad? Do you try to live up to their “standards” of you? If they belittle you…demean you…do you invite their words into your heart…accepting their critique of you? When you judge yourself through the eyes of others, you allow them to kidnap you spirit and you forget who you are…slowly, you neglect yourself of the things you rightfully deserve!

"You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love & affection." ~Buddha~

If you stand before a mirror and you see what others have labeled you, you are ridiculing yourself. We, as a people, spend too much time putting down others or equally building up others and neglect showering oneself with that same LOVE, RESPECT, AFFECTION, & ATTENTION! What I have learned in life is that the way you ALLOW others to treat you is how they WILL treat you. You must set standards…you must set boundaries…you MUST ACT on those to demand the respect that you deserve. People don’t have to like you, but they WILL RESPECT the trueness of the WHO you are. 

“Never defend a lie.” ~Lula Powell Adams-Morris~

I grew up with the teaching that you “never defend a lie”. I can remember from my youth to adulthood people would say, “Dee, if you don’t defend yourself, who will?” My response would always be, “It is not my business what other people think of me”. 

The reason I responded that way was because I never knew why I was taught to never defend a lie. I only just grasped the concept of that teaching about 5 months while attending Sunday service and the Brother spoke about how Jesus did not need to defend the defamation of his character nor person. Jesus knew who he was…his apostles knew who he was…his followers knew who he was, but most importantly, his Father, God, knew who he was. Jesus lived his life just as he intended to; to do the will of his Father. He did not care what others thought nor said about him… Jesus prayed for them even asking for their forgiveness (Luke 23:34). 

Though I did not understand my response until my latter adulthood, it holds true and it is so relevant for people who are not self-knowing and self-aware. If a person does not know who they are, they will live every day of their life aspiring to be what someone else wants them to be. This is wasted time...and time is something we cannot get back!

 

Trying to defend a lie opens the revolving door for people to tell another lie. Lies are contagious. You tell one, you tell two…so you may find yourself lying trying to defend something that was NEVER true. 

 

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself." ~Harvey Fienstein~

When I say never defend a lie, I am not suggesting that you be bullied into silence. I am simply proposing another way to look at things…live your life as you deserve it for you. Do not own anyone else’s faults, sins, and shortcomings. Do not play victim to your past…your life’s circumstances do not define the who you are. Because someone says something negative of you, does not mean you have to receive it…

WHEN YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE BRIGHT IS THE LIGHT

When you know who you are, you carry less burdens…you feel more peace of mind…you speak with more confidence…you walk with pride! When you know who you are, you don’t second guess your existence…you take responsibility for your actions…you lead by example! When you know who you are, you command respect and your walk demands that others take notice of the who you are…you hold true to you…so you hold true to others, when you know who you are…you maintain the determination to always walk in your integrity! 

I make my own rules…Remain faithful to my integrity…Boy, I am no fool-fool…Society is no DEFINITION ME…Focus your eyes on the life I live…Your ears to the words I speak…Feel the love I give…Watch the goals I seek…Pay strict attention to my way of loving…Be down with me or set me free…Know that society nor the “everybody”…Can DEFINITION ME! ~from Definition Me by Erin Adams-Phillips~

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