Individual? Or Others?

Is living alive simply an individual quest?

Or does it include others?

Writing recently, “A Body Blessing”, has become personal for me.  Something, at the time of writing, I couldn’t imagine.

It still is.

And it’s got me wondering . . .

As we more intentionally think about how we speak and relate to our bodies, really who we are, how do they (our words and actions) influence how we speak to and relate to others?  Do they?

In other words, is living alive simply an individual quest or does it include others?

I believe it has to include others (emphasis intentional!).

The thing is, not one of us is an island. Isolated from the rest of humanity. No matter how much we want to distance ourselves from other people or think who we and how we behave doesn’t affect them.

Quite the opposite.

They do.

I believe we can draw a direct line from the words we speak to ourselves, to the ways we relate to others.

Positive or negative.

They are not mutually exclusive.

Think about it personally . . .

Do you find yourself speaking critically to yourself?

Judging yourself, even hurting yourself, because you are not the picture of perfection you think you should be?

Then consider this . . . .

Do you think the ways you treat yourself translate to the ways you treat other people?

Are you critical of them? Judging their choices, lifestyle, fashion, behavior (to name a few) for not being the way you think they should be?

If this is true, then how does your critical, judgmental behavior to yourself and to others stymie your ability to live alive?

Does it?