You practice being yourself by being yourself. I don't think there is another way. I may not be good at it and it may be risky, but it's worth it. And the alternative is to not be myself, and what sense does that make. I think it was Joseph Campbell who said "Being your self is the privilege of a lifetime." I also see it as my responsibility. If I don't be myself, I and the world are deprived of me. My being creative is my being my unique self, offering my unique perspective, sharing my unique experience, which offers my meaning to what is happening. I don't think all that is is meaningless -- I think it just is. I do think that my being myself offers my unique expression and touch and meaning, and no one else can do that. This I have learned by being myself more and more over time. As someone said, "If not me, then who? If not now, when?" The culture tries to get each of us to get in line, be numbers or robots in the social machinery, and it's important to find time and ways to be oneself, be creative, and stay alive.
On Nov 23, 2013 david doane wrote :
You practice being yourself by being yourself. I don't think there is another way. I may not be good at it and it may be risky, but it's worth it. And the alternative is to not be myself, and what sense does that make. I think it was Joseph Campbell who said "Being your self is the privilege of a lifetime." I also see it as my responsibility. If I don't be myself, I and the world are deprived of me. My being creative is my being my unique self, offering my unique perspective, sharing my unique experience, which offers my meaning to what is happening. I don't think all that is is meaningless -- I think it just is. I do think that my being myself offers my unique expression and touch and meaning, and no one else can do that. This I have learned by being myself more and more over time. As someone said, "If not me, then who? If not now, when?" The culture tries to get each of us to get in line, be numbers or robots in the social machinery, and it's important to find time and ways to be oneself, be creative, and stay alive.