You wanna know something embarrassing?
I really kinda wish I could read everyone else’s introduction before I write mine.
You know, to make sure mine is complete enough, cool enough, just good enough in general.
I realize that sounds pathetic coming from a grown woman,
but it’s like there’s a little girl in me looking for approval and old habits die hard.
It’s sad that it’s taken me 30 years to realize that I’ve been holding myself back, locked in a cage of other people’s opinions.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m always just me.
What you see is what you get as I’m largely incapable of pretenses.
But I’ve held back on a lot of dreams and desires and even developing certain parts of my personality because of the urge to find some sort of validation before I risked really putting myself out there.
And what’s worse, it’s caused me to be jealous of various people in the past who pursued some of those things that were in my heart without letting others opinions or judgment stop them.
It’s just kind of ridiculous.
Especially when the reality is that some of those perceived opinions or judgments are most likely a figment of my over-active imagination, or merely coming from others like myself who wish they felt more free to be completely them.
So by way of introduction, I guess I’d like to say that to some extent I’m going to be getting to know me right along with you – a new, more free me.
I want 2012 to be a year of taking more risks; of developing new relationships and not stuffing down the part of me that wants to live large and love big just because it’s so much easier not to take the risk that I’ll get hurt or someone will think I’m weird.
Because it’s time for that little girl to grow up and realize her full potential;
chase with abandon the dreams that God put in her heart when he made her.
Will you join me in second-guessing yourself less and just going for it more?
I think our future selves will thank us.
Hi Christina!
That was just completely adorable!
And guess what!? I wanted to see everyone else's when I did mine too ;))
This is going to be fun. I just know it.
oh my, I just saw the reply button, I feel like an idiot! thanks, Aubrey, I agree, this will be great =)
Hi Christina! I love this post! I haven't even written an introduction–I just jumped in with an article because I didn't know how to introduce myself! I really love yours though! Maybe I'll have to write one after all!
yeah after I started seeing people posting more like article type stuff I was like oh, I guess mine will be different, but I'm not going to go against my 2012 plan and second guess myself, hahaha!
I am SO much the same – There are a lot of things I haven't done simply because I didn't believe enough in myself and if you wait around for someone else to believe in you enough, well, that just never happens. I'm definitely working on making 2012 a year for more risks and believing in myself more :)
it's always crazy to me the people who don't believe in themselves – you are so funny and great, Trish, I follow you on bloglovin' =)
Christina…from one Christina to another, yes, I'm ready to grow up. I just turned 40 in December so it is time for me to stop living, as you say, "in the cage of other people's opinions". I'm so glad I found this site! I'm excited to read more…
Christina http://christinamariehernandez.wordpress.com/
Christina, thanks so much for saying exactly what is on my mind every time I get asked to tell more about me. I've been trying to break out of old habits & just go with it, but the geeky gal that got picked on long ago gets a little shy from time to time.
By the way, I absolutely love you introduced yourself with pictures!
thank you, Christina and Kelly, for your lovely comments! it feels wonderful to come across people who get how you feel =)