Monday, September 21, 2015

Kind to a Fault!?



How many times have you someone say such and such is kind to a fault? I think I have heard it a few times throughout the years and at least once it has been said to me/about me. At first glance, one would think that it is a great compliment to be considered that kind. However, there is so much more that goes along with this little expression.

When someone is said to be kind to a fault, most of the time what is being left unsaid is that sometimes their kindness can lead one's own detriment . Sometimes we also think of that person as someone who will take anything and stand up for nothing. Someone who never stands up for themselves.

As a people pleaser most of my childhood/young adult life, I know that there were several times when I put up with many things that I wasn't really happy with. I literally and metaphorically "ate up" my feelings.In my attempt to please, I forgot how important pleasing myself was as well. There must always be a balance between kind to others but being aware enough to know when you need to reach for a tad of selfishness for your own good. 

I used to see pleasing myself as the same as not pleasing others. What a closed up mentality huh? My brain had somehow been trained to think that if I did things for myself it was at the expense of other peoples and wants which somehow had to take priority over my own.

You know how some are late bloomers? I guess I am a late maturer. It was not until I hit my 30's that I kind of came into my own. I realized that I needed to be kind to myself in order to be able to be kind and loving of others. I learned that saying no is ok. I learned that my life did not have to always be centered around what others want and/or expect from me. Now its been an ongoing process because some of my behaviors were instilled in me growing up and others are an initial instinct I have to choose not to follow.

At age 36, I am more aware of all of this than when the initial switch came on when I turned 30. As the years go by and I have understood more about myself and my issues, I have come to understand some of my bad choices. I have recognized how some bad choices where a combination of shitty circumstances and not rational thinking. That was huge because it is always much easier to blame a sole "bad guy" for our troubles.Some of these bad choices made out of unresolved issues/emotions, have created longer terms problems that take longer to fix than an attitude and behavior adjustment.

Through binge eating, having a poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle, I ballooned up to a size that in my brain only happened on TV...bless my heart. Along the way, I allowed my lack of recognition and taking responsibility for my issues to hurt some of my relationships because I saw concern as criticism and lack of love. There have been other relationships that were detrimental to my emotional well being that had to be let go in order to slowly repair and work on being a better more well rounded version of myself.

As I have been walking down this path of trying to become a healthier me, I have learned from following other people's journeys and other bloggers, that it is not only our relationship with food that we have to work on. We have to work with our relationship with those who cause us hurt, pain or stress, we have to learn to identify and work through the emotions or circumstances that can trigger those bad choices for us. And in every individual case, those things that we need to work on can be so different. No wonder the quick fixes, fad diets and magic pills were never really any magic at all!!

One of my life philosophies  has always been " You learn something new every day". How true is that? Whether it is learning something new about yourself, about others or about anything that may interest you, I encourage you to keep learning. It is the key to finding  your true self and being kind to yourself and to others. Until next time!


3 comments:

  1. excellent post, my friend. :: hugs ::

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  2. Awesome post. In the last year or two I have started to make the changes so that I am not 'kind to a fault'. For so long I have put everyone else first to my own detriment. I don't want to lost my kindness...but I definitely want to not be someones whipping post! I'm learning!

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  3. I can't imagine every being healthy enough not to people please...aah. I know for me there is a huge difference between being kind and doing things just so others will like me. I've often thought it's the root of my weight issues.

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