When Akiba was on his deathbed, he bemoaned to his rabbi that he felt he was a failure. His rabbi moved closer and asked why, and Akiba confessed that he had not lived a life like Moses. The poor man began to cry, admitting that he feared God’s judgment. At this, his rabbi leaned into his ear and whispered gently, “God will not judge Akiba for not being Moses. God will judge Akiba for not being Akiba.”

From the Talmud

What a wonderful blessing to grow in to your own skin and nestle down in the comfort of being “just who you are.”

Many who come to counseling are focused on what they haven’t done, what they should have done, who they wish they were, and what they don’t have. I spent too many years of my life in the same rut, and I can tell you from personal experience that type of thinking gets you nothing but heartache and misery.

One of the silver linings of getting a bit older is the realization that I have a choice. I can spend the rest of my days bemoaning my inadequacies and losses, or I can focus on all of the many, many blessings of my life and revel in joy and happiness. I am a work in progress, just as we all are, but I can tell you that I am really learning to like living in my own skin. It is like coming home to a pair of worn, comfy slippers…not the snazziest shoes on the block, but the shoes that perfectly fit all the curves of my feet.

Accepting “just who you are” is the greatest gift you can give yourself. It is a true gift of kindness and love. Why don’t you put down the stick and take up the wand and wave the magic dust of self-love from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. Ahhhhhhh. That feels SO good.

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