Get out of your Box
What does your box look like? Sure, you look puzzled for it seems like a silly question to ask.
Really....I beg to differ. We are all in a box of some kind; either of our making or someone else's. As kids, some were placed in a box that said "you're worthless", and they have continued to stay in that box, thinking of themselves as unworthy, and never daring to step out and discover that they are actually "worthy". I once knew a young lady who was totally convinced that she was clumsy. She had just had an accident and injured her arm, and her confirmation came from the fact that her Manager was always saying so to her, so she actually believed it.
Paris Hilton, on the other hand had to have been in a box labelled, "you're a princess", for she sure does act that way, and does it a sight better than royalty itself. Lady Gaga's box must have said "attention getter" or maybe it just looked like a GIANT shoe or an elephant or anything that steals the spotlight. By now, you're getting the picture....those boxes are all about the labels we put on ourselves or that others have put on us.
Now don't get me wrong, for not all labels are bad. The ones that say "you're beautiful", "you're smart", "you're the next Top Model", will propel us to greater heights, but those that cause kids to bow their head in shame, to lose their self confidence and to have low self esteem, are detrimental to our youth and by extension to our communities.
So again I ask, 'what does your box look like?". What is that label that is printed on your back?" Does it call the greatest good within you or does it cause you to ridicule others, to become the office gossip queen or king in order to feel valued.
Bullying has become a grave problem in many schools, and research shows that many bullies also have low self esteem. Imagine what boxes, these kids have been placed in. They are those ripped boxes, badly damaged, labelled 'loser" or "dangerous".
So if your box does not look like one you would love to receive or to keep, I invite you to step out of the box and step into your life. Take a look around, see what road you want to take and start the journey....the journey to freedom, and reaching your full potential.
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Beautifully said! Voted Up ad Beautiful. So many people need to read this. It's true that bullying early in life can affect people right into adulthood and box them into something they're aren't.
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Summersurf - thank you for the vote, and for all your wonderful articles on things I love like cherry Juice and Coconut water.
Thanks Cathy...It's good to read what other hubbers write about and learn interesting things from each other. Thanks for reading my articles too.
This was an interesting read Kathy. I am working on a hub right now based upon a comment my 4 year old made to me and it is along similar lines in terms of not allowing ourselves to live according to what we have been told throughout life but instead with childlike innocence. That said, when I think of Lady Gaga's box, I get something completely different from "attention getter" in fact, I get someone who was bullied and told they were different and that it was unacceptable. I appreciate your writing, but listening to her "Born This Way" tour and hearing her stories and how passionate she is against bullying...well, I don't think it is about getting attention but about making a statement. Sometimes the ones we label weird are the ones who will have the biggest impact on the world because they are so used to being told they are different they start to not care and press through. I am happy she did because it allows our kids to know it is okay to express themselves and not conform to Pleasantville standards and live in black in white. The world was meant to live in color. I also think it is great that Paris Hilton was encouraged to believe she is a princess...if only all girls would be so blessed in this life to believe they are beautiful, amazing, and worthy of love and attention. I do get your overall point though and agree, we shouldn't allow ourselves to be boxed in by what others label us. Thank you for sharing!
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eyesstraightahead....thank you so much for adding your voice to this discussion and bringing greater clarity about Lady Gaga. However, my intention was not to denigrate anyone for surely that would defeat the purpose of this post. I just want to encourage people to be who they want to be.
This is wonderful, Cathy I. I love your writing style. And I love your positive attitude. What a shame to give children boxes that prevent them from realizing their full potential. Adults in therapy have to go back and recognize those boxes before we can get out of them. They confine us whether we know it or not. Thanks for writing this.
This was a really lovely hub, elegantly written with a simple but potent message. Good work, I look forward to reading more!
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eyesstraightahead.....Just read your post and left a comment. Great stuff. It's important to let people know they are so much more than they think they are and have so much more to offer the world.
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