We like you just the way you are

Last year I shared my own experience (and limits) of gratitude. Besides my morning routine (where my gratitude practice lives), I have a night time routine.

At the close of each day I ask myself several questions. Prompting a reflection on the day.

“What do I need to let go of?” is one of my favorites. I write each answer on a tiny piece of paper and shove it into a bottle. Then, every so often, I take out all the little pieces of paper and have a ceremonial fire. 

Last week I wrote: 

I need to let go of all the expectations I had for myself of what I would do over the holiday break. 

Honestly, I relaxed more than I have in a long time. I binge watched several TV shows (the Crown, Fleabag, Mrs Maisel - can you tell I like leading ladies). And when I ran out of shows, I searched online for the best podcasts of the year. Which is when I stumbled upon Finding Fred. And let me tell you it is a GLORIOUS look into the life or Mr. Rogers. 

As the podcast points out early on, there is a lot of buzz around Mr. Rogers right now. A documentary in 2018. A movie in 2019. And now this podcast. Host Carvell Wallace brings the magic of Mr. Rogers into present day over 10 episodes. He asks, with curiosity, why there is so much focus on Mr. Rogers right now when he has been dead for close to 20 years.

Which of his messages do we need right now?

He had a lot of messages and lessons that spanned 900 episodes over more than 30 years of broadcasting. A long legacy detailed here. I most liked the lesson that Mr. Rogers introduced in his very first episode (and revisited many times). In that first episode, he introduced a song called “I like you as you are.” 

Lyrics by Josie Carey | Music by Fred Rogers

I like you as you are
Exactly and precisely
I think you turned out nicely
And I like you as you are

I like you as you are
Without a doubt or question
Or even a suggestion
Cause I like you as you are

I like your disposition
Your facial composition
And with your kind permission
I'll shout it to a star

I like you as you are
I wouldn't want to change you
Or even rearrange you
Not by far

I like you
I-L-I-K-E-Y-O-U
I like you, yes I do
I like you, Y-O-U
I like you, like you as you are

I noticed something in me each time the song came through my headphones over the 10 episodes. Maybe it is because we find ourselves in the “new year, new you,” time or year. Or some bigger trend gaining steam amongst the women we coach at Inside Out. We have a laser focus and urgency around what needs to change in us. A declining celebration of who we are right now. Today. Our entire flagship program (next up on February 22nd) celebrates the magic that exists in each of us. (Hello, confidence boost).

But I want more of this. For me. For you. I want to champion change and possibility (and I do). But I also want each of us to start from a place where we are enough (and we believe that). To not orient changes around needing to fix us, because we are already whole. Just the way we are. That we are likeable, just the way we are. That any change we CHOOSE to focus on is a bonus outfit for an already brilliant, perfect, and lovable woman. 

Imagine if the marketing we are being bombarded with during this time of year - the new year, new decade, kind - actually helped us believe that we are wonderful. Just the way we are.  

We pledge to hold this cornerstone in all our programming this year.

We like you just the way you are.

Shine On,

Alicia