Create Meaning by Helping Others

I identified with the article Create Meaning by Helping Others, because the author went through what I have and am going through as well. I also had an extremely rough time learning how to say no to people because I simply wanted them to like me and I wanted to be accepted. I have recently come out of that state, because I feel that as I have matured and become more independent, I have realized that I do not need to please others anymore because I do not need to impress anyone that I want to be friends with and saying yes all the time made me really unhappy. I have realized that my true friends are the ones that I can tell the truth to. I can tell them "yes, that shirt does make you look fat" and they can tell me "no, you should not cut your hair, because you will look horrible if you do so." All jokes aside, that sort of trust and honestly is important when dealing with serious issues and at that time what I really need is someone who can give me real advice.
The concept of knowing myself is one that I struggle with because logically you should know yourself more that anyone else because you know what you think and feel, but as time passes I realize that I do not really know myself, why I do things, and what I believe. I know myself a lot more know than I did only 6 months ago and yet I realize that I am still a mystery to myself. When asked deep questions, I do not always know what to say because I truly do not know what I believe. I am being influenced by so many outside sources that it is hard to take those thoughts away and be left with only the thoughts that I truly believe.
I understand that I must know myself so that I can truly be present for the people who I am trying to serve. Once I truly know myself, I will be able to truly get to know others in my life, my relationships, and my service. When I am able to serve others with my entire self, I will be able to provide more joy, support, and hope to those I serve and myself.

 

Pain vs Suffering: I often find that I sink into the things that hurt me, I think about them over and over again even when they are simply small things. I think about them so much that they become big things and cause me to suffer. After reading this article, I realize that the suffering I put myself through is optional and I have willingly engaged in it. We can choose to remain in our suffering or we can get past the inevitable pain and move on. When we move on we are able to live in every beautiful moment that God gives us.

One of the most amazing ways we can serve others is to show them how beautiful they truly are. "We come into this world with infinite potential and then become conditioned to live to society’s expectations." We have the potential to be and do anything that our hearts can desire but we become conditioned by society to believe that we are limited and confined by our race, gender, economic status, and supposed intelligence. We are advised to pursue careers that provide economic stability although are passion may be somewhere else. We are also suppressed by what we have conditioned ourselves to believe are our limits. We must first realize ourselves that those limits are nonexistent, and then we will be able to convince those we are serving of the same, because we all have the ability to do the impossible.