"The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself." -- Mark Twain
Be honest. Very few of us would admit that we enjoy our own company, much less, that we are actually friends with ourselves. Growing up, friendship was consistently emphasized as the bond of a lifetime, but the majority of us neglected to nurture the purest of friendships, the ones with ourselves. We spend the better portion of the day warmly in the cocoon of our own thoughts. If we were deeply connected to our souls, we would be significantly rejuvenated and revitalized by renewed energy. By sharing the story of how I became friends with myself, I hope to inspire you to embark on this transformative journey of friendship with the most exquisitely intriguing and fascinating person in the world, yourself. In my life, I..
Accepted my strengths, weaknesses, powers, and flaws because combined, they define me
The first step to self-friendship is to accept ourselves because only then can we begin to appreciate our uniquely complex personas. Instead of battling against my weaknesses, I chose to discover ways to overcome them. Instead of lamenting over flaws, I decided to focus on the myriad of my strengths. Instead of focusing on why I had one power and not the other, I chose to discover the potential of my powers. Instead of desiring a greater number of strengths, I decided to focus on the several strengths I possessed in my quest to write and embody one of the greatest stories ever written in this world.
Treated myself like a true friend and regularly engaged in internally empowering conversations
Empowerment of humanity begins with self-empowerment. In order to impact millions around the globe, we must first inspire our minds to strive for the greatest of glories. Granted, negative self-talk is a common attribute for the majority of us, but as soon as I recognized the seeds of negativity, I immediately planted seeds of positivity. Even today, I regularly empower myself to achieve the grandest of goals and the loftiest of visions, because I have learned that it is my duty to treat myself as a friend first by encouraging, nourishing, and feeding my dreams. Self-empowerment has revolutionized my life.
Respected my strong sense of character, high self-worth, significant intelligence, and innate ambition
Of all the types of respect in the world, the greatest and most critical is self-respect, which enables us to value our worth on a daily basis. On the journey of friendship with myself, I continued to respect my incredibly strong character, and high self-worth. If we do not think highly of ourselves and our capabilities, who will? If we demean our own talents, who will have the confidence to praise them? In addition, I am unapologetic about being an ambitious woman, and continued to respect my inner fire to impact the world. A high degree of self-respect soon transformed into a beautiful friendship with myself.
Discovered my deepest aspirations by becoming self-assured and enjoying my own company
Ultimately, the greatest gift of solitude is the ability to discover our passions and value our immense potential to create a tangible impact on the world. Over the past year, I have begun to truly enjoy my own company by trusting myself, above all, as a true friend. By spending a great many moments in solitude, I have discovered my intrinsic desire to engage, enable, and empower the world through my voice, by foraying into a parallel career in professional speaking, authorship, and media. To be honest, I am now at a stage in my life wherein I am not lonely when I am alone, rather I am blissfully content.
Friendship with the most beautiful of souls, ourselves, is one of the most treasured relationships in our world, and one that frankly, more of us should invest time to nurture. The returns are infinite, and I promise that you will be in a perpetual state of zen and fulfillment after you experience this journey.
Are you friends with yourself? Would love to hear your thoughts, comment below!
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