Embrace

Dear Vidur,

I am smiling as I write this. I felt so happy yesterday: when I asked you during our walk what word comes to mind for the letter E – and you instantly answered “Embrace.” I said, “Embrace?” And you clarified, Embrace as in acceptance. What a beautiful way to look at that word! I was originally toying with Experiment, Expectations, Experience. I even contemplated “Eat” but when you picked Embrace, I realized it opened up a lot of possibilities that would happily encompass what I had in mind. Still, I must tell you I always admire how you are spot on about so many things!

At this point in time, when you are on the threshold of change and new beginnings, it might seem as though life is racing by. But when you are open to learning from your experiences, you develop self-awareness, self-respect and responsibility. By doing this, you empower yourself. You build meaningful relationships. You learn to stop beating yourself up over past mistakes and instead, work on improving yourself. The result? A committed and mature individual respected for his integrity.

Here is my message to you today. I want you to know that you are already showings signs of being a fine person.

Embrace Life

Embrace your flaws

It is what makes you the unique individual you are!

Embrace imperfection

It is perfectly okay to be imperfect. Remember the concept of wabi-sabi? Exactly! Also, the process of improvement is always more fun than perfection.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.

~ Leonard Cohen

Embrace failure and rejection

As clichéd as it sounds, failure is the stepping stone to success. Imagine what might have happened if our beloved Walt Disney had given up! Did you know that Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.”? As a businessman, he was a failure. But he went on to create Disneyland and Mickey Mouse. I think we can safely say the rest is history! Apparently he was turned down more than 300 times before he got funds for Disneyland. How you deal with failure determines the real you. Let failure motivate you to attempt new things and experiment!

“Rejection is protection and redirection.” Earl Purdy

Guess what! You are good enough.

Embrace your mistakes

Don’t be discouraged by them. Treat them as an opportunity to learn. There are no mistakes in life. Only lessons. When you are ready to admit you are wrong, you show strength and a commitment to personal growth. You show that you care about yourself and others.

Embrace responsibility

When you take responsibility, you feel a sense of ownership in everything you do. And then, you experience pride and joy in all your actions. With responsibility, also comes freedom and self-confidence.

Embrace change

Your Grandma enjoyed saying that change is the only constant in our lives. Welcome it. Change is fun. It brings new experiences that make life more enjoyable and interesting.

Embrace your talents

Acknowledge your gifts and use them well. I was encouraged to do this at a tough point in my life when I had to explore work choices – in fact that is how I became a freelance writer! You never know when your talents will stand you in good stead.

Embrace your dreams

Hug them close to your heart and take action to do what you have to, to achieve them.

Embrace your feelings

Sometimes in life, there is no right or wrong answer. Be courageous enough to honor how you feel.

Embrace the past

Every experience brings lessons with it. Sometimes it is painful, sometimes it brings joy. Don’t beat yourself over something that happened or the way you reacted to it at that time. It only means you are human. Moving forward is the best direction!

“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” – C. S. Lewis

Finally, learn to embrace the way things are. It is easy to complain about what doesn’t meet our expectations. It takes strength to see the overall picture. Be strong! Be enthusiastic!

“Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don’t have to like it… it’s just easier if you do.” – Byron Katie

Embrace your “you”ness, dear Vidur. You are perfect as you are!

Love and hugs,

Blessed to be your Mom!

Day 5 of the A to Z Challenge 2015

E for Embrace
E for Eyecare tip at Life Hacks For Diabetics
E for Encourage a stranger at Life Hacks for Happiness