Finding “Me”

Many use the words they want to “find themselves” to deal with the uncertainties and unhappiness they feel with their current life. For some, it’s a second childhood when they dump their family, fuddy-duddy clothes, and car and buy their dream roadster and hipster gear. Others want to reinvent the “new me” as they become something other than what they were conditioned or raised to be.

This morning, I realized I’ve been looking for “me” in all the wrong places. Hmmm. There must be a country song that sounds something like this.

Recent conversations reveal that I’m me, the best way “me” knows how. Wait! I’ve been saying this for years, and it’s even a tagline on many of my social and writing sites.

What am I saying?

Finding “me” is simply realizing I’m happy with who I am, my actions, and my direction in life. As one person told me a few years ago, “You’re happy in your own skin.” Okay. I didn’t know it was an option to be unhappy, but I’m content with most facets of my life. The ones that bug me are for me to hold close to the vest. It’s not to be revealed here, but it will be the change I make to make me even happier. More content. Better able to face aging. Happy, happy, happy… We’re so happy, happy, happy…

(Uh oh. I’m on a kick walking down memory lane!)

I know that when I’m discontent enough, I make a change to improve my world. It happens all the time, and you never know a thing about it.

How About You

Are you happy with “who” you are? Are you on the best path in life? Is there something missing? If you could have or do anything you wanted, what would that be?

The answers are revealing.

Yesterday, a smarmy salesperson tried to put words into my moment to make me feel dissatisfied enough with my current situation that I would spend untold thousands on improving my options. It made me angry enough that I led him down the primrose path of thinking he had me in his net, and then I slit the net with my sharp wit and walked away. How did I do this? “No! No. No…”

The power of “no” should be the first tool in our chest of experiences that we draw out and consider if this is the time to use it. It’s easy to nod “yes” and answer in the affirmative. That’s part of selling you something, but understanding hidden and unrealized areas of satisfaction are a significant part of any selling job.

I think this was the job of the Serpent in the Garden. He was smart enough to convince Eve that life would be better if she let down her guard with vague thoughts of dissatisfaction.

Wait! Wasn’t this the same way that Oz controlled his kingdom? He presented the “great and terrible” personality behind smoke, mirrors, and trickery.

The best power you have with your lot in life is how you think about who you are, where you are, why you are here and not there, and whether you are contented to exist. This is alluded to by the Apostle Paul: Contentment in whatever state I find myself to be in (Philippians 4:11)

On many levels? That’s me. But on hidden levels of choice, there are things I would do if I could, but since I can’t, I’m content to flow from here to there—all the while keeping my satisfaction level high even when my druthers are not realized.