How we measure up (or don't)

Anyone ever tell you that you don't "measure up!"

Many people struggling with their self-image believe they don’t. As children, we may have heard that we are not living up to our potential, that we can do better if we just try harder, or other similar statements that show our parents disappointment in us. Then we carry the idea that we are a disappointment to those around us into our adult life. Here is a another perspective...

Which yardstick would you choose for yourself?

We all have our own internal yardstick we use to measure our identity or how we view or value ourselves as a person.

Unfortunately, what happens is that we end up looking at, and many times using, another person's yardstick to measure ourselves. When we do this, many times we end up on the "short end of the stick".

What, then, is the problem with using another person’s yardstick to measure ourselves? Well, we can’t see what is on another person's yardstick, so we guess. Others will hold their yardstick away from us so can we only see or hear what they want us to see or hear. We cannot see the flaws, shortcomings, or failings that make them just like us. When we end up guessing, our guesses are usually "way off the mark!" Besides, we never know which person's yard stick to use. The result is a poor self-image and often a real identity crisis.

So, let’s agree to only use our own yardstick, and to measure our self against our own values, principals, morals, and beliefs. The fact is that our yardstick usually has many great things on it that we overlook.