Thought for the Day

[hellison]

Well, the question asking idea (previous post) did turn out Interesting as expected, tho some of the directions it took were quite unexpected e.g. discussion of one's preferences for/against the... more hirsute Gentleman's Area.
But thank you all for trying (very trying, in some cases).

One question, however, threw me completely and also caused me to Think; littlebluefish asked "What do you really love about yourself?". And I couldn't answer.
Eventually I did think of something (my ability to be independent, which is incredibly important to me) but it took quite a while and I still haven't come up with anything else - which set me wondering why it was so difficult.
Ask me for a list of things I like and I could manage, things I don't like and you'd be here all day, but 'love'? I don't think I've ever been asked to think of myself in those terms before, and it seems it never occurred to me to do it for myself ;p

Then I wondered if it's just me? Or is it a wider thing - are we not encouraged to love ourselves enough (at the risk of sounding a bit selfhelp/twee there)? And if not, why not?

So! Today's question for the class; more of a youyou than a meme for once ;)

What do you really love about yourself?

Comments

[lazy-hoor.livejournal.com]

Ah, there's plenty I like about myself but love - I dunno, that would feel a bit narcissistic to me. I just don't feel that strongly about myself...

[kelemvor.livejournal.com]

I know that in interviews and similar, I find it easier to think about weaknesses than strengths. Possibly this is because I have to work around the former, but not the latter.

[fragglechick.livejournal.com]

Good question, like yourself I can think of things that I LIKE about myself, and could write a book on the things I dislike, but love...

I guess I could say that I love my open-mindedness. It's stood me in good stead over the years...

[malvino.livejournal.com]

I love just about everything about myself (which is one of the things I love about me), but that doesn't mean I love other people less for it, I love them too (which is something else about me that I love), I just have a lot of love to go around (which is another of the things about me that I love).

[dasquian.livejournal.com]

You're not kidding, this *is* hard.

Anything I could come up with just makes me sound like a self-absorbed prick when phrased "I love that I...", or that I'm lording it over other people.

I guess... I love that I have ended up in a career I am genuinely passionate about. I'm not sure there's anything I love about my personality that aren't mitigated by contigent downsides.

[ghost-cre.livejournal.com]

I love that I haven't killed myself yet.

[being-here.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's just you.

I can think about things in my life I love (I love my new job, and I love the freedom I have at the moment). I can easily think about things I'm proud of with myself and things and traits I admire in myself. I also think I have some stunning good points - but to say 'love' about them feels wrong. I think if I really liked any physical attribute of mine I could say I loved it - but to say that I loved a personality trait or my intelligence or whatever seems like the wrong word. I would probably have the same issue with talking about other people - for example I love your hair and your smile; I admire your independence and passion for life... Of course I love you - but again that's different.

Does that make any sense?