Learn, Don't Avoid: Choosing Resilience Can Be an Act of Self-Love by Brian King

"If you went through what I went through you wouldn't trust people either."

"If this happened to you, you'd be angry, too."

These statements sound familiar? Yes, I've felt that way on occasion. My concern is for the person who feels this way for years. To hang on to the feelings experienced at the time of any emotionally significant event requires a great commitment. A commitment to fear, blame, resent and an unwillingness to forgive.

The solution isn't to minimize it, ignore it or get over it. One solution is to learn at a deep level that you are not the opinions of others about you. As motivational speaker Les Brown says, "Don't let someone else's opinion of you become your reality."

This mindset requires a different kind of commitment. One in which you introspect often, get to know and love yourself as an imperfect human being who is on a journey to learn and grow by gathering wisdom from your experiences. A journey in which learning is the measure of success. Learning, not avoiding hurt and not avoiding mistakes of any kind. This is important work and an act of self-love.