Self Acceptance

And Beast? Never forget, mutant and proud!

This was one of the stand-out dialogues in the latest X-Men movie, a dialogue by Raven (Mystique) directed to Hank (Beast). What to Raven was initially an imperfection, something to get rid of or change, she has already learned to accept (with Magneto’s help), and she was trying to convince Hank to do the same. This was the point of freedom for her.

I love the way that dialogue is used in the movie, and the way it speaks to almost anyone of us – those who are struggling to accept their imperfections.

There are certain imperfections about ourselves that we can’t change, but many of us still insist on changing these things. In the process of failing to do so, we become locked up in a mindset that is focused on covering up or hiding or camouflaging such imperfections, and we lose the opportunity to shine and miss out on the opportunity to reach our maximum potential.

Our imperfections make us unique. They distinguish us from the rest. They are part of our beauty.

[Photo Credit]

We Can Only Be Who We Are.

Trying to be someone else is a futile attempt. Yes, we are imperfect. Yes, we are not good at the things that we value. Yes, we may be far from being the kind of person that we want to be. But we must always remember: growth is a lifetime process. It's not an overnight transformation. And we can't make ourselves a clone of even the most admirable person in the world.

Any attempt to be someone else, no matter how good the intent behind the desire, poses a certain amount of danger. That danger has to do with losing one's self while not totally becoming the person one wants to be. In  the process, the person gets stranded in the middle - not anymore himself, yet not the person he wants to be. He becomes an entirely different person from the person that he really is and from the person that he wishes to become.

There's really no better way to deal with change, or the desire for it, than to allow it to go naturally - not forcing it nor faking it. Because in the end, the only person we can and should aspire to be... is the better image of our present self - different from who we used to be, yet still us.