No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

'No-one can make you feel inferior without your consent, wise words from Eleanor Roosevelt but more than a bite sized quotation to be thrown about when talking about empowered women, it's a concept worth thinking about. Since I've a whole week of no reading ( and not died from some sort of book starvation) I've had a lot of time to think, it's like my mind can't handle the inactivity so it plays out things that have bothered me throughout my day and this is a concept that struck a chord with me.

I have been a bit of a pushover for a long time. When you want people to like you it's hard to say no and I'm hesitant to admit this but I guess I'd be described as sensitive, If it's to be taken at all, I'll take it personally. I know I shouldn't but I do. There's no point in saying no offence when you're gearing up to say something offensive. Anyway with all of this I realized something I've probably known for much longer than I've cared to admit and that's I could write a book on the amount of times someone has made me feel inferior. This means for most of my life I've been passively giving my consent and while it should be obvious, it hit me hard because that means I can choose not let someone do that.

Yes I know it's not rocket science but the truth about yourself can always be the hardest thing to see. I know that denial is where it's comfortable and where no work gets done on yourself because why would you change when you haven't acknowledged there's even a problem. So now I'm finally holding my hands up and saying okay I'm in control of how I feel, of my reactions, of the emotions that I attach to what happens to me and this is scary but this is positive. It means that I can choose to not take every slight and insult on board, lessening my own self worth.

I am more than what other people think of me. More than a sum of my parts.
So I am growing up and saying no, I don't consent. You are free to think anything you like about me
but It doesn't mean I have to think any less of myself. In truth those who put you down are usually making you feel small so they can make themselves feel bigger, better and really that's their issue to work on because the only person you can change is yourself and trust me, life is a lot easier when you come to accept that.

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