Well, not really. I am happy with who I am. The Village People made a hit capitalizing on the desire of people to be someone else. So many people aren't happy with who they are and they look outside of themselves to find what they think is missing.
Unfortunately, a lot of people look in the bathroom mirror in the morning and just don't like what they see. They wish they could be different. A lot of this has to do with how we've come to view ourselves based on the feedback (well-meaning or not) provided us by our families and the various communities we interact with.
Rather than validating our worth internally, we rely on and believe in the things said to us by others. Not all of those people have our best interests in mind. Rather, they have their own best interests to look after. Sometimes these other people don't even realize when they have said something damaging. Other times, it is all too calculated.
This is why our own set of affirmations is so important.
Even when we have the inner fortitude to fight the snide remarks, those more sensitive still get hurt. And even the toughest cookie can be crumbled under the right set of circumstances.
As I've mentioned before I am reading a book by Shonda Rhimes about saying yes to opportunities that present themselves to you. One of the things, out of the many, many wise things she shared, that has stuck with me is her comment about standing like Wonder Woman. You may have noticed Wonder Woman as my avatar on the home page.
Over the years I've received a few Wonder Woman themed gifts. I've a birthday card tacked on my wall of Wonder Woman jumping through the air; I've a loose paper folder of her standing, lasso at her side, hands on her hips almost as if she is daring the viewer to tell a lie. Wonder Woman is beautiful, wise, kind, smart, and knows her strength. She is proud without being haughty.
But it's her stance that Ms. Rhimes comments on. Stand like Wonder Woman. You know, shoulders back, chest out, hips slightly forward. Somewhere I read (probably in Ms. Rhimes book) that you should stand like that for five minutes every day in front of a mirror looking at yourself.
Think of the power and grace in that stance. What if every time someone was beating you up emotionally, you remembered that stance. You pulled those shoulders back and stood tall and proud. Every time you were tired, every time you looked in the mirror and told yourself another lie about what you were seeing. What if you took on that stance and allowed yourself to believe that, even if it was just for a few minutes a day?
What if we took on that stance and coupled it with some self care about what we ate, how we dressed, and who we allowed to rule our particular universe? I'm just seeing a lot of empowered people all over the place, happy with who they are and who they are becoming. They aren't rude or crude, but they aren't taking crap from people either because they believe in themselves.
Can you image it? People who weren't feeling sorry for themselves but taking ownership of their lives? That confidence, that strength would manifest itself in countless ways and touch numerous lives.
While it isn't the definition of a macho man that the Village People sang about, it is the kind of macho I'd want any person to be. Believe in yourself, stand tall, and don't let anyone, including yourself, sell you short.