I have often tried to forgive myself for some character flaw like being overly sensitive and too loud. When that didn't work I looked up the definition of forgive.

Forgive: stop blaming and grant forgiveness. Cancel (as in debt).

I realized that I was blaming myself and judging a part of who I am, of what makes me Terry. I wanted to cancel out that part of me forever. Well, fat chance that I could achieve that. I have tried for decades to stop being so sensitive and for talking so loud. All this did was encourage my inadequacies with blame for not being perfect.

I slowly grew into the idea that maybe if I tried embracing those parts of me instead of judging as wrong. Here is what I found when I looked up the word "embrace":

Embrace: hold someone closely as a sign of affection. Accept or support willingly and enthusiastically.

Now my questions became how can I embrace my sensitivity and my loudness? Can I pull it in even closer with affection? Can I accept and support myself willingly and enthusiastically? When I embrace I am acknowledging that those parts of me will show up again. Of course they will show up, for they are a part of what makes me "me". This was radical thinking for me when I was used to pulling my flaws fiercely close in judgment.. Embracing allows for the natural transformation of a conceived negative aspect of myself becoming something beautiful, real, and authentic.

There lies the challenge, the miracle and the beauty of "embracing".

Try a little embracing today, pull someone close as a sign of affection and accept enthusiastically all of who you are.