A Shot of Self-Acceptance – Transcript

Here you’ll find the transcript of the new video on Tales & Meditations, called A Shot of Self-Acceptance.

I want you to know how amazing you are.

There are no words to describe how awe-inspiring you are.

You’re a spark of life.

No.

You ARE life.

Do you get that?

You are life. That’s pretty incredible stuff.

This, it’s not an ego boost, because I’m not necessarily talking about who you think you are. I’m talking about who you really are.

Yes, your ego’s incredible too; how you built and put together the version of you, that you call you is a miraculous thing. For it is literally a part of the miracle that is you.

But it’s not you. And that’s important to distinguish.

When I say I’m grateful for you being you, it’s another way of saying I’m grateful for me being me, because we’re the same.

I don’t care what skin you’re choosing to wear today, we’re the same.

I don’t care what religion you have, or which god you talk to when things get tough; or perhaps you don’t speak to any god whatsoever because you think it’s a load of baloney, it doesn’t matter, we’re the same.

Diversity is only skin-deep, my friend.

I don’t care if you’re a president or a peasant, we’re the same.

I don’t care if you’re in the royal family or if you were born with a rusty spoon between your gums, we’re the same.

I don’t care what you do for a living. Whether you’re a shoeshiner or a CEO; if you work on the checkouts at your local supermarket or you’re an A-list actor, we’re all the same.

The next person you see is the same as you. That’s cool stuff.

I mean, I lose it sometimes. In fact a lot of the time, actually. It’s easy to slip into: that’s just another person; that person’s fat, that person’s thin; that person over there’s black, which is actually a shade of brown, when you really look. It’s not black at all. And that person over there is white, which is actually a kind of pink.

It’s just pigments. It’s pigmentary. It’s pigmental.

That’s it.

Stupid that we fight over it and judge one another because of it, don’t you think?

Because there’s only one of us, I can say, and you can say it too, if you wish:

I am grateful for you being you, because I am.

Does that make sense?

So thank you. Thank you for being here, for doing all you do, for trying your best when circumstances seem to be pushing against you, when there doesn’t seem to be a way forward, when the whole world seems to be resting on your shoulders, for not giving up, for seeing the best in every situation.

What’s that?

You don’t see the best in every situation?

Me neither. But it’s important that we try, right?

For it’s when we try that we shine the brightest.

If you’re listening to this, there’s a slight chance you’re what many might call a “spiritual person” (in inverted commas). You might call yourself that too, on a good day. And what that means is, aside from doing yoga, or at least trying to do yoga, or meditating every day, or at least trying to meditate every day, or refraining from eating meat or drinking alcohol or swearing, aside from all those things, what it means is, you’re the kind of person who often puts on a show of being calm, patient, kind, generous, loving, compassionate, and every other saintly, noble quality.

I do it too.

Well, on a good day…

But I’m here to tell you, and it’s a note to myself too, that it’s fine to get angry when you’re angry, to get sad when you’re sad, to feel jealous when you feel jealous, to feel guilty and bitter whenever those feelings arise.

It’s OK because they give us a chance to observe them.

It’s OK to loathe yoga, when all you want to do is sleep. It’s OK to skip meditation, when all you want to do is get lost in a computer game or a good book. It’s OK to have a beer or a glass of wine to unwind on a night.

Basically, what I’m trying to say is:

Go easy on yourself.

Give yourself a break.

Laugh it off.

It’s OK.

It’s all part of the dance.

They’re all colours in the stain glass window, that we’re trying to see life through.

The important thing to remember is we shine the brightest when we try.

So it’s OK that you’re not perfect.

Aiming for perfection with an imperfect bow is a sure way to miss the target.

I’ll say that again because when I wrote it I loved it.

Aiming for perfection with an imperfect bow is a sure way to miss the target.

When we play at being that kind of archer, we end up wishing we were someone else, somewhere else, having a different experience, wanting anything other than what is.

And that’s a huge shame.

When you resist yourself, it’s like giving life the finger. Which is actually like standing in front of the mirror and giving yourself the finger.

Don’t give yourself the finger; it’s not very nice.

Accept yourself, my friend. I do. I think you’re super.

But only because I know I am.

Adios.