Image

I have a healthy self-image. I really do. I know my wife tells me that is where my arrogant attitude comes across loud and clear. But I am serious. I have worked really hard on this one. I have the same insecurities that others have. I have the same hectic work/life balance that others have. I think I have just come to terms that I am human and I am ok with me. This was a struggle in my younger years and in therapy. At younger ages I would puff out my chest and use my self-image as a mask to ward off anyone that may attempt to come at me. “Stay away. I am tough and powerful, and very confident” is the attitude I would take in discouraging anyone to challenge me. And then I will be happy because I will think, and more importantly everyone else will think that I have a strong self-image. But that didn’t bring happiness. Not totally. I think the part that I have learned in therapy is that some self-image is important for happiness. I mean I feel better, and even happier when I am bathed, and manicured, and dressed in clean clothes. I learned that personal hygiene helped me attract my wife. That makes me happy. And I learned that accepting that I was comfortable with my self-image gave me some degree of happiness. But what I also learned is this. More of this image stuff didn’t make me happier. I have more money today than I did in college. I have a nicer set of clothes. I have a nicer car. But none of that stuff gave me more happiness. I was happy when I bought a new car when I was 30. But I wasn’t happier than when I bought a “new to me—used car” when I was 39. I came to terms with the fact that I have enough of a self-image to make me happy and pursuing more of my self-image will not make me happier.