How to deal with realizing you are the opposite of what you thought?

1. 95

   peeplesposted 13 years ago

   How to deal with realizing you are the opposite of what you thought?
   
   I think I may be a freegan, tree hugging, animal saving, go green, liberal. I was a conservative republican until a couple years ago. How is this possible? How do I deal with suddenly realizing everything I thought I was I wasn't?

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2. 60

   gramon1posted 13 years ago

   We formulate our opinions on the basis of what we are taught and what the people we admire tell us. Sometimes we discover they are wrong, and we must accept it.  It is difficult because we have to deny so many things we once believed. Also, our friends continue holding the opinions we shared, but now we don't anymore.
   The important thing is to be true to what you believe now.

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3. 43

   ChristinSposted 13 years ago

   evolution involves embracing yourself as a multi-faceted and complex person.  Part of that is giving up labels and conditioning and learning to be comfortable in your own skin.  This can be perplexing at first - especially if you were raised to be opposite of how you truly are.  Living authentically however is the greatest freedom and liberation there is - be who you are and don't apologize for it ever.   Be you and enjoy it - you'd be amazed at the sheer number of people who never live their actual truth because they fear the conflict it brings up.   It takes courage to be yourself when everyone seems to want to lump people into neat, tidy boxes.

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4. 77

   pmorriesposted 13 years ago

   I always thought I had the body of Adonis and the face of Brad Pitt, but recently a member of my family took my picture, and I was way off with my self-image. I still have the body of Adonis, only I look like him when he was deep in his middle age years. In addition, I still look like Brad Pitt, if he had reconstructive face surgery, so that he would look more like a common man.  I am not sure why, but most of us can look in the mirror with no problem, but cannot stand to look at ourselves in photographs. Therefore, I never let anyone take my picture or photograph me. I have even found a better way to keep reality from ruining my delusions, and I only look at my reflection in pools of water and shiny surfaces.
   
   Okay, we all change as we grow older, but the changes you mention are not a bad thing. Now, if you thought you were a nice person, and find yourself growing more bitter with age…I would be concerned.

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