Dream Big

We watched a movie called “I Feel Pretty.”  It was a chick flick.  I do not normally watch those, but Merril and I had laughed a lot at the promo’s.
It features a girl who hated herself.  She hit her head and suddenly believed she was really pretty.  She looked exactly the same.  We laughed at her telling her friends that they no doubt did not recognise her, but it was her, Rene.  Her friends looked at each other and looked incredulous.
I found the premise really interesting.  The girl had a terrible self-image.  She thought and acted like she was a loser.  She had never had a boyfriend and never been kissed.  She felt like a total fraud in make-up stores.  In other words, she put herself down incredibly.
There was no difference at all in her appearance.  It was simply her self-talk that was different.  When girls are young there is not the desire to keep up with others.  They have sleep overs, go shopping and sing and dance.  Appearance does not matter.  The joint activity does.
I see it lived out in the girls, but being a boy I know it is not just a girl thing.  We seem to enjoy the footy, sword fights and getting down and dirty with our mates.  The difference was highlighted to me big time when Merril took her dad to a movie.  He rued the fact there were not more fight scenes.  She was happy there was not.  When Merril and I watched Lord of the Ring I got off on the fight scenes, and she was glad when they were over.  Fortunately, we need each other, and both femininity and masculinity are right (though I have my doubts as to if loving shopping is ever right.)  In Melbourne, Merril and I walked behind a couple.  I have never seen a guy with such a swagger.  I think he thought his role was to be macho.
When I was in charge of an organization, I needed to talk to people I do not normally associate with.  Like champions and an Olympic rep.  I’ll never forget someone saying to me, “oh you talked with them.”  It was something they thought was beyond them.  What I found though is, it does not matter who we are, we are the same.  Certainly some have important roles, and their influence may be greater, but we all need food, water, shelter, and a sense of belonging.  Some may put on airs and graces and act like they matter more, but in reality no one does.  To me it seems none of us matter, but we all matter.  It is one of those dichotomies that both blow me away and I am thankful for.
It seems so much has to do with our self-talk.  I can believe the negative things I tell myself, and act on them, and never take off.  Or I can believe and act on positive things, and the sky is the limit (though flying for me is an undesirable analogy).  What I tell myself needs to be true though.  I am not a “my truth” man.  I believe that truth is a standard separate to me.
As a child my imagination is unbound.  Often something changes.  I settle into either the expectation of others, or a limited view of myself.  It really does not need to be limiting.  I can dream big.  I’d rather fall short of a big dream, than not dream at all.