I Can Let Go Of The Need To Prove Myself To Others

I can let go of the need to prove myself to others.

Some of us spend too much time trying to prove ourselves to other people.  Whether we are busying ourselves trying to prove we are smart enough or thin enough or successful enough, the problem is the same: we are handing our self-worth over to someone else and giving them and their opinions power over us.

I feel like I have been trying to prove myself to other other people since I was young.  I always wanted to be the best student in order to impress my teachers, or I got frustrated with myself for messing up in sports because I wanted to earn the respect of my coaches.  As I got older, this pattern only continued and deepened - I felt pressure to be the best and do everything perfectly so that no one would disapprove of me.  If I felt that I had let someone down, my inner dialogue with myself was mean and hurtful.  My eating disorder was more than happy to add to this pattern of seeking outside approval, telling me it could help keep me thin so that no one would disapprove of my body - it promised to keep me small and safe from outside criticism.

During my journey of recovery, I have started to realize that I've been fixated for so long on proving myself to others and living up to standards set up by society, that I have never taken the time to step back and consider what I actually value and want to be.  I have been so busy running in circles trying to gain outside approval, I didn't know what it would take for me to prove myself to me, Taylor, and make myself proud.  I am grateful that recovery has given me the chance to really start considering these questions, even though the process takes a lot of work.

This affirmation is wonderful because it reminds me that I no longer need to prove myself to others, and that I certainly don't need to prove myself to everyone.  By giving up this chase, I give myself the opportunity to connect with myself to figure out what I need in my life to make me proud of myself as a person.  And as long as I'm living life in accordance with my own values, and in a way for my authentic self to be put forward, then I don't need anyone else's approval.

We are all unique and have our own individual paths to follow.  We all deserve to see this and to discover self-love and pride for ourselves.  The longer we give others power over our self-worth, the longer we prevent ourselves from recognizing our own values and choosing lives for ourselves that make us feel good about us.  So, let us let go of the need to prove ourselves to others, and take time to figure out exactly who we want to be for ourselves.

Wishing everyone freedom from the burden of constantly trying to prove yourselves,

Taylor