Category: – Self Worth & Acceptance

The Weapon of Arrogance – Discharging Separation

by Priscila Azeredo de Souza, London, UK

I always considered arrogance as something ugly, but it was not until recently that I discovered how insidious and evil it actually is. Arrogance is a weapon, a mass destructive-one, discharging separation among us.

Arrogance has many faces. Up until recently I only perceived the ‘superiority’ side of it, but I am learning that it can also come with the ‘false humble’ (or ‘inferiority’) side as well. Bear with me and you will see what I am describing here. Continue reading “The Weapon of Arrogance – Discharging Separation” →

Being Photographed: to Be Seen, or Not to Be Seen?

by Adrienne Ryan, Brisbane, Australia

Recently I was assisting a photographer as he photographed some beautifully ordinary individuals. I noticed how relaxed and open the people were. As we went on I came to realise there was a question silently being asked every time the camera was raised: “how much will you allow of you to be seen?”. I felt this myself when the camera was on me and I realised:

We choose how much of ourselves we allow to be seen.

Standing in front of a camera is like standing in front of the world itself with every eye upon us. In the face of the world and all its expectations we make a decision: how much to hold back and how much to let out.  Continue reading “Being Photographed: to Be Seen, or Not to Be Seen?” →

Learning About Feeling Confident in my Expression Through heART

by Amber Goodwin, Merchandiser, Goonellabah, Australia

When I was little I was always freely expressing, I loved to make sounds and tones, and sing. I loved to move my body, music or no music, I loved to play and make things with not a thought on ‘how it would turn out’… my heart had something it was feeling confident to express and I loved this feeling.

However, after a few knocks here and there I began to believe the harsh rules, conditions, expectations and beliefs that were placed on me and I began to squash my own expression so as to not upset anyone else … and in doing so I have held my natural expression back, which has felt crippling for me ever since. Continue reading “Learning About Feeling Confident in my Expression Through heART” →

Universal Medicine Before and After – the Man beneath the Tattoos and Dreads

I was seventeen when I got my first tattoo and I thought I was pretty cool.

But that one tattoo looked a bit lonely on its own, so I got him a friend and then another friend, and another. I wanted to look tough. To make me look a bit meaner I also decided to stop shaving and to stop combing my hair which was long at the time.

REBELLING OR HIDING?

I never considered that I was trying to hide behind my image. At the time I saw it as rebelling. Continue reading “Universal Medicine Before and After – the Man beneath the Tattoos and Dreads” →

Self Acceptance: No Need to Push, No Need to Try

by Rosie Bason, Mullumbimby, NSW

When I do things such as speak, sing or paint with a need to get it to be a certain way, with a push or a need to try, I actually make it less. It is less because at that moment I am not accepting myself or realising that I am already enough. For example, the sound when I try to sing comes out hard, yet when there is no push and no need to try, it comes out naturally beautiful.

What I am is enough! Continue reading “Self Acceptance: No Need to Push, No Need to Try” →

Reflecting On My Youth – Accepting More of Who I Am

by Greg Hall, Civil Engineer, Brisbane

Particularly inspired by the writings of Oliver Harling in a recent post titled: “Stitched Up“, I sit here reflecting on my days of youth and at primary school being referred to as a ‘Ladies Man’ (named after a popular TV sitcom of the time) – I didn’t mind being teased because I felt that the boys doing the teasing were really just envious of my choice to honour being me. I was friends with the boys at school but really did not like the way it felt to be acting up and playing rough games in the play ground to ‘jostle for hierarchy’ and prove one’s physical capabilities rather than spending time with girls who pretty much accepted me for simply being a gentle me. Continue reading “Reflecting On My Youth – Accepting More of Who I Am” →