Self-definition is the death of evolving...

Self-definition is the death of evolving...Stop defining yourself and come alive!

Have you ever seen one of those old, faded, black and white snapshots from your childhood, or maybe the childhood of your parents? The ones attached by little adhesive black "corners" that would hold them to the page? "Wow, that was how we used to be!" you say.

Snapshots are like that. Even though life was flowing at the time it was taken, just as it is right now, the snapshot froze in time how we were then. Sometimes we appreciate the "shot" because it presents us in a good way, and other shots we dislike because it represents a part of ourselves we're not too fond/proud of...

Self definitions work in a remarkably similar fashion. Such portrayals freeze us in our personal evolution. They are always out of date, as we have always moved on. Still many (most?) of us will repeat these "selves" over and over, stuck on an old version of ourselves. Mostly we are "stuck" because of Ego, we fancy ourselves as important and want to represent ourselves as noble; "I always tell the truth!," but do you? ALWAYS?

A very wise young man once said to me, "I will marry the woman that understands that the concept 'I am' is fluid." Aristotle would have been proud...

How much better to take life as it comes and leave the old "snapshots" behind. A portrait of a past (less experienced) you is never going to be as good a fit as the PRESENT you, the you that has lived, grown and evolved since then...

Today when you hear yourself begin to state by rote how you define who you are, ask if those renderings really depict who you are at this moment. Choose who you are anew!

Duffy