I was a long time in learning how to be myself.

For most of my life people have told me to be myself. As a youngster, I wasn’t sure who I was, so I had a difficult time being myself. All I really cared about was whether other kids liked me. As I grew older, I became more confident. Who I am has changed over the years.

As a young woman, I was idealistic and self-righteous. Okay, I was arrogant. I believed I could do anything, but I refused to listen to those who tried to help me accomplish my goals. Imagine that – a young person thinking she knows everything. I still didn’t really know who I was, though. I only knew who I wanted to be.

As I aged, I became more comfortable in my own skin. I realized that I am an intelligent, interesting, creative, and worthy person. If someone doesn’t like me, it’s okay. It took me a long time to figure out that some people are not meant to get along. Some people are like oil and water. I have worked with a few of those people.

It took me over 40 years, but I like who I am as a person. I understand myself now. I have many people who love me, and I gratefully accept their love without question. If I had this kind of wisdom and self-confidence when I was a teen, there is no telling what wonderful things I may have accomplished. Thank you for reading Ozarks Maven! If you’ve enjoyed my little seeds of wisdom and joy, please subscribe to Ozarks Maven, Like Ozarks Maven on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter @OzarksMaven.

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