31/03/2023
Has words like self love and boundaries become a fashion cult that is raising a new generation of imbalanced adults? The self-love culture has taken the world by storm. Do not misunderstand what I am trying to say. Self-love, boundaries and most of the emotional wellness buzzwords are essential to well balanced emotional health, but I fear that the extreme focus thereon is spiralling out of control and the imbalance it has brought harbours just as much danger as the absence thereof. I almost want to compare it to unhealthy instant dieting vs a consistent healthy lifestyle. In a society (world wide) where we are daily bombarded with self love quotes, advice and 'how to' instructions, I find it interesting that the top 3 emotional wellness searches on Google is (as on 25 December 2022)“how to handle stress,” “how to stop a panic attack and “how to cure depression”. I can't help but wonder that if the extreme version of self-love is so powerful and empowering - why are so many still struggling too much, alienating themselves from support systems under the well intended banner of personal boundaries. Why do we re-post all these amazing quotes daily, but yet are not experiencing true empowerment. Why are we still not equipped to escape the tentacles of stress, depression and anxiety?
Not much research is available on the topic and I can't help but wonder if books titled 'How to not "love" yourself too much' would sell at all. After all.....Money (or book sales in this case) makes the world go round - right? What makes me wonder though....Does this frenzy make YOUR world go round? Or are many of us buying into a lie packaged beautifully as the truth - wrapped in tissue paper with a colourful bow and a get well soon card.
I truly don't believe that there are any inherent disadvantages to self-love. In fact, practising self-love can have numerous benefits, including increased self-esteem, reduced stress and anxiety, and improved overall well-being.
However, it is possible for self-love to become excessive or self-centred, which leads to negative consequences. For example, if someone becomes overly focused on their own needs and desires to the exclusion of others, they may become selfish and insensitive to the needs of those around them. Additionally, if someone becomes too obsessed with their own appearance or self-image, it could lead to unrealistic expectations, body dysmorphia, or even harmful behaviours like excessive exercising or excessive plastic surgery.
Overall, it's important to maintain a balance between self-love and consideration for others, and to practice self-love (including emotional boundaries) in a healthy and sustainable way.
I dream of a new generation rising from the ashes. A generation that is well balanced emotionally. A generation that can act with kindness, courage and confidence towards themselves, but also other people they encounter - everyday. The rise of a culture that is empowered and equipped to change the world. Self love and personal boundaries are beautiful shades of colour in the rainbow of a balanced, healthy life - BUT they are only two primary shades in a combination of 7.
FRIDAY FUN FACT:
It is difficult to determine an exact number of total colour shades because colours exist along a continuous spectrum and can be mixed and perceived differently by individuals. However, the visible spectrum of light that humans can perceive includes about 7 million colours. Additionally, with the use of technology and digital displays, a virtually infinite number of colours can be created by combining different intensities of red, green, and blue light (RGB). So, while there is no definitive answer to this question, it's safe to say that there are an enormous number of potential colour shades. By other research it has been determined hat there are somewhere around 18 decillion varieties of colours available for your viewing enjoyment. That's an 18 followed by 33 zeros.
QUESTION:
ARE YOU LIMITING THE POSSIBILITIES OF YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL BY COLOURING YOUR LIFE WITH ONLY THE THREE PRIMARY COLOURS?
