Photo by Tracy Fuentes
I think I’m the coolest person on earth. Okay, not really but in a less exaggerated way, yes. What I’m really trying to say is: I like the way I dress, I love my taste in music, and my sense of humor is to die for (again, not literally)! Now, was I always like this? Not really. Like most people, growing up was a trial of “self” and in some ways, it still is. I’ve been through many phases of interests, hobbies, styles, and motivations. The person I became after the next was always better than the last and eventually, I fell in love with the person I was becoming.
Throughout your entire life, you are stuck with one person: yourself. So why not become someone you want to be around? Better yet, why not become someone you’re obsessed with? And by humbly, I mean no “obsession” should ever deter you from being kind and considerate towards others. Becoming obsessed with yourself is an act of self-love, appreciation, and celebration. This is a feeling that is open to everyone and should never become one of status or importance.
Who do you want to be?
So, let’s talk a bit about how we can do this and how this could look for you. The main idea is to become everything you dream of. So, what do you dream?
Is it someone who knows a lot about a certain subject? Someone who cooks well or plays an instrument? Begin to list out all of the qualities you’d like to see in yourself. This creates a persona that you can look at and think, this person’s badass.
Play strategically
Take that list you’ve made and start to see it as a sequence of tasks you’ll be accomplishing. You can organize it by difficulty level or levels of importance if you wish. Now start to break it down in the simplest way possible, by things you can start right now. Maybe your ideal version doesn’t cuss anymore; you can start watching your language in conversations. Or maybe you want to have great posture and run daily. Start researching good posture habits and try waking up 30 minutes earlier for a quick run each morning.
Embody your obsession
At the end of the day, it all comes down to how well you embody this new version of yourself and stay consistent with it. It’s sort of an example of, fake it ‘til you make it. This means walking, talking, and feeling like you belong on the cover of a magazine and then maybe even applying to be on one! Whatever it is you are trying to achieve, you will never get there unless you take the first steps towards it.
Simply, if you want to become some sort of superhero, just do it. Be humble, save lives, defeat villains, and play theme music everywhere you go. If you want to be more social, say hi to every person you meet. If you want to become a homebody, tell your friends you’ll see them another night.
The first steps of becoming somebody you actually like start with your efforts. Decide who it is you idolize, list out their qualities, narrow them down to a few starter tasks, and start to take on those traits. It’s not easy and it will be hard at first. But once you realize who it is you want to be, you won’t want to be anyone else but you.
Kindergarten 