Stand naked before the world and scream "I HAVE NO APOLOGIES"

"Be Independent of the Good Opinion of Others" - Dr. Wayne Dyer

This quote has been rattling around in my head for days now.  I read it a few years back in one of Dr. Dyer's books.  At first, I could barely wrap my brain around what he meant.  It would have been a lot easier for me to understand had he instead wrote "Be Independent of the Bad Opinion of Others".  I mean, we have heard that since we were kids, right?  "Sticks and stones may rattle my bones, but names will never hurt me."  However, to be independent of people's good opinion of me?  Hell, I'm an actor!  The first time we actors get on stage it is because we want someone to signal their praise to us through laughter, tears or applause.  All of us, actor and non-actor alike, want to be loved and admired.  We crave approval like a fat kid craves potato chips.

So, what did Dr. Dyer mean by this outrageous quote?  To be independent means to stand apart, to stand alone, and to think for oneself.  One excellent definition of independent is "expressive of a spirit of independence; self-confident; unconstrained".

Therefore, if I am independent of people's opinion of me, good or bad, then I do not allow others to define me.  Only by being true to myself - not masking, hiding, faking, pretending, trying to please, trying to ingratiate, bowing, scraping, etc - only then will I learn to love myself rather than begging for love from others.  I will rip the mask off, stand naked before the world and defiantly scream "I am Jenn. I love me.  I am beautiful, intelligent, talented and I HAVE NO APOLOGIES.  You do not define me, as I am perfect in all of my glorious flaws.  What you think of me, good bad or indifferent, has NO bearing on how I view myself."

In other words, I am Jenn, hear me roar - but only when, if, and how I feel like it. 

~Jenn