What does it mean to become the best version of yourself? As if there
are hundreds of different you's that just shed personalities like a snake sheds
its skin? Does it mean that you are always trying to accomplish this best self
or was there once a best self that has been since worn and discarded with all
the other versions never to be seen again? Does it mean to look outside of
yourself? Find a bigger purpose and then you will in turn discover yourself?
There are plenty of websites and articles writing about becoming
the best of ourselves. "These 6 Things Will Help You Become the Best
Version of Yourself" or "Becoming the best Versions of Ourselves--3
Steps", but striving for the best can be a slippery slope (articles shown
below).
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/starting-today-stop-these-6-things-become-the-best-version-yourself.html
https://www.elephantjournal.com/2016/04/becoming-the-best-versions-of-ourselves-3-steps/
Not that I don't disagree with these articles, in fact I like
reading them, feeling empowered, getting motivated, being the change I wish to
see in the world, and then, just like everyone else, falling back into the same
habits and routines I've always done. My point here is that in order to be the
best versions of ourselves, we first have to know ourselves, accept who we are,
work hard at changing what we don't love about ourselves and only then can we
start trying to be a better person. Maybe not different, we are all hard wired
to be who we are, but better perhaps. This takes A LOT of fucking work. I've
got the tiniest chip on the biggest ice block started and I've been hacking at
it for almost a year. Well, much longer, but consciously, a year. It is hard to
become a better, different person. Maybe taking it in chunks--first better,
then different. If that's what we hope for. Taking the necessary physical steps
is extremely important, but if you don't take the necessary emotional,
spiritual steps, you fall back to where you were before you took any physical
steps.
My experiences have provided for some examples this year of trying
to be "the best version of myself", or at least I thought they did.
Moving on from a stagnant relationship that was not going anywhere, moving on
from a stagnant job that wasn't going anywhere, finding a better job, trying
something new and different for the summer, meeting lots of new people--in
Italy and Denver. Experiencing life with new people. All of these helped push
me to a better version of myself. I do believe that. But the commonality is
that they are all just about me. I will always argue that alone time or time
doing the things you want to do is the most important because then it gives a
fuller version of yourself, but is being a better version of yourself bigger
than, well, yourself?
Perhaps I will feel a fuller sense of meaning when school starts
again. I have never not coached or taught on some level for this long of a
time, so that could be what’s driving this. I
feel it is important to constantly be growing, changing, striving for better.
Being comfortable is nice, but it’s no way to truly live. Maybe its the people around us that help
us be the best versions of ourselves, maybe its the happiness we find within
ourselves and can share with others. Maybe its doing something alone or
with someone you truly love. Maybe its being in a new place with new
people. Maybe its different for everyone, or in some way all of these
for all of us. I think I can take a little of each of these, sprinkle
them with some hard work, some real love for what I am doing, who I
am hoping to teach or to shape and that can be my recipe for making
myself as good of a version as possible. At least for now. As my old swim coach
would say "no loafing!" Thanks, Bill, this time I won't :)
