(Note: not everyday counts towards the days of the rest of my life...)
Now, I figured that before I can go and forge new plans for the rest of my life I need to figure out what is going on with me. (Yeah, what’s up witchou, woman?)
Don’t worry. I am not so arrogant as to attempt to answer the universal questions that even Aristotle or Plato weren’t entirely able to figure out: Who am I? Where do I come from? And, what the hell am I doing here?
I don’t attempt to be as philosophical as that – rather a bit more practical, and I will focus on the microcosm that is me, myself and I. How do I feel as microcosm about myself and within the macrocosm which is my immediate universe (i.e. the city in which I live and work, the friends I surround myself with and my family)?
So, how do I feel about myself? Instead of giving a textbook answer (I’ve always rebelled against what the majority would do…), ‘Oh, I love myself to bits,’ I’d rather go: “Oh, gee, I don’t know,’ or would rather counter with “Why are you asking me such a stupid question?” (Note here that the internal monologue or better even, the internal conversation with myself – which I always denied existed – has begun...)
The odd thing is that how we feel about ourselves is always always always very different to how other people see us, feel about us and think about us.
“You are an amazing woman.” “You are gorgeous and funny and just the nicest person.” “You are so sweet.” “I know you’ll be a good mother.” “You are really hot.” “You deserve to be with a man who really appreciates you. He is out there and you’ll meet him some day.” (This last statement, btw really horrifies me: the prediction that ‘some day’ I will meet my ‘Mr. Right’….I have always been very sceptical of that because let’s look at the facts: what exactly are the chances that this person, this Mr. Right will be in the same city, the same country, even the same continent at the same time when I am in my sexual and physical prime? What if he lives in a far-away country on some far-away continent? Do I really have to go out looking for him? (Saying that: isn’t he supposed to come looking for me?!) However, because I am quite emancipated, I don’t mind looking for him. But the most upsetting thing is: I don’t event know what I am supposed to be looking for! And, more importantly, I don’t even know where to look for him? Do I really have to travel to every single continent on this earth to find my ‘Mr Right’? Not that I really mind the travelling, in fact, that would probably be the part I would enjoy the most. But, let’s be serious here: probability theory applied – what chance have I got to actually meet him? (I am sure my friend J would be able to write a fantastic algorithm for that!). Ohh, long deviation… let’s get back to other people’s perception about me.
No matter how often and in which variation they say nice things about me and no matter how positive they feel about me – I don’t get it. I just don’t get it. Or – better – I don’t feel it. I don’t feel about myself the way other people do. I can understand why they might say that I am pretty and not entirely out of shape. Objective. Facts. But I don’t feel it, which doesn’t necessarily mean that I am a complete ice block – what with me being German and all that wouldn’t be too far-fetched - but it is more like something or someone is disabling me from feeling this way about me.
And because nobody is standing behind me with a whip – and even my mother has disappeared from my right shoulder – it must be of my own making. It’s like I am constantly at war with me, myself and I.
For years I have been exploring the reasons for this self-deprecation, self-devaluation, self-destruction and self-loathing. I have come close to solving some of these issues (and I have to mention here that Dr H. would probably do a little jig and clap in her hands if she knew that I can finally accept some pieces of myself) but still they are holding me back and hostage from myself and in myself.
Why in heaven’s name would anyone punish herself for things that other people have fucked up or didn’t get right? Nobody, obviously. But because we are slaves to our subconscious we can’t help it. Or at least I can’t.
Yep, you guessed right - it goes all back to the childhood - patterns that were formed when the brain wasn’t quite finished yet…emotional memories that were saved without having been analyzed or explained or discussed…patterns that have ingrained themselves on top of each other creating thick layers in the gooey river that is our subconscious, interacting very strangely and autonomously with actual present-day experiences and emotions. Oh, how I love Freud!!
Now, I am not sure whether this should be alarming or not. But I what I have learned over the years from my endless sessions with the nicest shrinks is that: I matter. I matter to me, myself and I. And letting those three down is apparently the worst thing that can happen to you (although thinking of all the atrocities, war crimes and natural disasters in this world I doubt that very much). But obviously, nobody can really truly love you until you love thyself.
And there you have it: it’s easy. Just love yourself and you’ll be fine. (Duh! Why did nobody ever tell me? Why did I have to find out for myself? I could have spared me, myself and I many deeply disturbing mental boat rides…seriously!)
Have I finally discovered who I am and what I am and how I am? How my microcosm interacts with the macrocosm and the universe??? Duh! No!!
I am obviously a WORK IN PROGRESS, and therefore, not a doll that is sitting on a shelf in some social shop waiting to be picked up by Mr Right. And judging by the name ‘Mr. Right’ he obviously isn’t for me because he’d probably be looking for a ‘miss’ he can turn into ‘Mrs Right’ or Mrs Perfect. But I am not perfect and quite frankly – I don’t want to be. Perfection is a) boring and b) very subjective. So, for me there is only a ‘Mr.’ and he could be any guy. And if he really is for depends on whether he’d accept me as WORK IN PROGRESS and whether I would let him do that. (And this goes back to Day One …about what I want…)
Whether I love myself or not – I am a lovable person – actually all three of us are (me, myself and I). And we get on great – despite the occasional wars we have got amongst each other. I don’t think that people’s opinions about me should matter - and to be fair in times of peace they don’t but let me tell you, in times of war between me, myself and I - they are all that seems to matter. (Pause. Note: I really do sound like a schizophrenic. Help! – Or is that actually normal?)
So, I am really trying hard to keep the peace…within me with myself and I.
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