Guest article – by Sara Nowlin
To really love ourselves fully, we must love all of who we are – the good, the bad, and especially the ugly.
For me and many people I know, it’s much easier to love and embrace the good – the best parts of us – our talents, positive personality traits, and the most attractive parts of our body. The bad parts are a little more difficult to love. Our ugly parts, the ones we often want to ignore or forget, are much more challenging to accept and appreciate. However, it’s these ugly parts that are the most crucial for us to love in order to be authentic and at peace in our life..
When we think of these ugly parts of ourselves, they’re often things we’re ashamed of, feel guilty about, and try to hide from others (and sometimes even ourselves). They might be parts of our personality, aspects of our body, or even actions or experiences from our past.
The ugly part of myself that I’ve been learning to love is the aspect of my personality that bulldozes people. This “bulldozer” comes out when I want something to go my way and there are others who think it should go another way. My actions and attitude will flatten them and silence their voice.
We are taught from a young age that we can only show our good sides, and we must hide the bad ones. Because we usually hide these ugly parts, we often think we’re the only ones who have them. If we start telling the truth about the ugly parts, we will begin to see that we aren’t alone – it’s just part of being human.
If we can embrace our humanity with compassion and forgive ourselves for these ugly parts, we don’t have to be driven by the need to hide them. Doing this allows us to become more authentically who we are and also allows us to regain the energy that we’ve used to hold down and hide this ugly stuff.
Sometimes, people confuse “loving” with approving or condoning, especially when our ugly parts hurt others or ourselves. The bulldozer part of me is definitely not something that I approve of or condone. However, “loving” can mean that we give up making it wrong and become more neutral about it. In other words, we accept it as part of being human and part of who we are. I can accept and embrace my bulldozer as one part of the spectrum of my humanness. I don’t have to beat myself up when it comes up, but just own it and apologize when it squashes people.
Here are a few steps to help you love your own ugly and to accept yourself fully:
1) Tell the Truth to Yourself – Before we can shift or change anything, we need to know what we are dealing with. Examine all the thoughts, feelings, and judgments you have about your ugly parts (or some specific ugly part you want to make peace with). It often takes a lot of courage for us to shine a light on something we try to keep in the dark. However, we can’t love or embrace what we can’t see.
2) Be Willing to Give Up the Judgment – Our thoughts and judgments about an ugly part of ourselves can often seem like the “truth.” However, they are just our thoughts and judgments. If we can begin to separate our judgments from the truth, there is space to see something new.
3) Find the Value – Everything has some positive value, even the ugliest stuff. There is a gift, something to appreciate, that this ugly aspect of who you are provides. This is often a difficult step since we have spent so much of our time and energy judging this part of who we are. Although it may be difficult to find, seeing the value of your ugly is the key to finding compassion and forgiveness for yourself.
4) Embrace and Integrate – Once we find the value, we can begin to embrace it for what it gives us rather than hate it for what it takes away. The protective walls containing the ugly part start to fall away. The negative charge around it diminishes. When you embrace and integrate the ugly, you will find more freedom and ease to be your authentic self.
5) Share with Others – Sharing with other people can remind you that you are not alone. Friends and family can also support us by reminding us to love that ugly part when we forget. Sharing can also inspire others to do the same – to love and accept all of who they are.
Please be gentle with yourself as you do this work. It can be quite challenging and vulnerable, but can have a powerful impact on your life in the process. Also remember that you don’t have to do it alone. I often do this work with people I trust since it can be scary to look at the ugly. But, the freedom and peace that comes from doing this, makes it worth it.
Sara Nowlin is a speaking, consultant, and coach. For more information about her work you can visit her website or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.
What are some “ugly” aspects of yourself that you’re willing to accept, appreciate, and love? Share your thoughts, action ideas, insights, and more on my blog below.
Dana W says
I believe this is the first time I have responded to an article but this one caught my attention in a big way. I agree that all aspects of our past and being work collectively to make us who we are. I also believe that we need to have the ability to look at our past and forgive ourselves for past discretions in order to have a fulfilling life going forward.
I do not believe that we need to learn to love and forgive ourselves for our bad or ugly sides if we are not doing anything to change our situation. If taken literally, this article would state all manners of indiscretion are acceptable and we should be able to accept the fact that they happen because that is who we are.
I do not believe that individuals cheating on their spouse, bullying others, stealing from others need to learn to accept this as who they are. I think they need to learn to acknowledge they are human and need help. They need to learn to change their behaviors that are harmful to themselves and those around them. Once they have made that change, then they need to learn to forgive themselves for their past and begin life on a new path.
I am sure what I am describing above is not what is intended in this article, but in reading this I interpret:
We are all human and make mistakes, don’t worry about it, love yourself and you are fine.
Sorry but I hold a very different philosophy on life.
Dana W
Kristen Moeller says
If taken literally, this concept could be the key to freedom for the human race. Good, bad, right and wrong are labels that we impose. Sara’s comments about how we usually hide our “ugly” parts from the world is sadly true. Then as she says, “we often think we’re the only ones who have them. If we start telling the truth about the ugly parts, we will begin to see that we aren’t alone – it’s just part of being human.” To be fully human is to have all parts – sometimes those aspects are exaggerated and become harmful if inflicted on others. I am not claiming that I am evolved enough to always come from this place when it comes to ugliness expressed as violence or cruelty to others. But maybe, if we all could embrace our dark side rather than stuff it down, the light would emerge as the more powerful force. I believe that love is who we really are, that fear is a lie, that “ugly” is a label we use to cover up what we don’t want to deal with. Thanks Sara for asking us to look at what we normally don’t want to see.
Aunty Nola says
Aloha Sara,
Well Done!! I loved your article. It was clear, easy to hear and was a positive inspiring read for my soul. I love the awareness that knowing, loving and accepting my ugly, gives me. i feel empowered when I remember that my “ugly” is another option I get to choose to walk in… or not, and it brings more value when I choose NOT to walk in it. Thank You Ugly for making my choices more beautiful.
I read the other comments left here and appreciate that your words move people to ACT. To become engaged in their lives and the lives of others. A chord resonated in their spirit that inspired them to move, to take action, and in doing so, participate in this discussion and this moment… a moment of awareness and clarity that otherwise could have been totally non-exsistant. How cool is that? WOW!!! I am in awe!! Way to Go… you amazing wordsmith and mover of people! Be Blessed!!
Karen says
I’ve noticed as I gain more insight and wisdom that the things that we call the “ugly” parts of us are really not so “ugly” as our own judgments and thoughts about them are. When we can release the negative judgments and thoughts that make us hurt then we can lovingly embrace the life we have the way that it is and ourselves the way that we are. “Ugly” is just an unnecessary and painful judgment.
Karen
webmaster @ college scholarships for women
Tracy says
Oftentimes, we have to recognize what our limitations and weaknesses are in addition to our personal strengths to have a healthy self-esteem.