You are Very Important

In 1970 I was schooling in a secondary school in Nakuru Town, Kenya. At the beginning of the first term, we got a new headmaster who came to the school with a lot of energy as he wanted to raise the standards of the school. If there is a man I would always remember is him. His name was Obare Awora. He threw heavy statements to us like: ‘Punctuality is very, very importaaaaaaaaant; maintenance is very, very importaaaaaaaaant; cleanliness is very, very importaaaaaaaaant; and many others. I want to state here that as a man you are very, very importaaaaaaaaant. No one else has your abilities and talents combined with your personality and standing in life to do the job God has called you to do.

“You are unique. Even though you share many things in common with other people, you are essentially one of a kind. No one else has been given exactly the same makeup as God has given you. Your face, your fingerprints, your voice, and your genetic makeup are matched by no one else’s. Likewise, God has handcrafted you with your personality, your unique set of talents and motivations, and your special purpose in life.” That means one thing – you have a unique purpose in life.

Every man struggles with issues in life at some point. Without knowing that you have a purpose to fulfill as a man, you can actual miss it. You have to under yourself well in order to know how to accomplish your purpose in life as you are very, very importaaaaaaaaant. You must have self confidence about yourself. Self-confidence can be heavily impacted by our environment, our experiences, and the feedback we receive from others.

Most of us don’t know that we are important. The reason being we are not confident. When you know that are important and have the self confidence, you will bring impact to your community.

In my country Kenya, we are facing major challenges of young and old men going into excessive drinking. Some of them have left their marital responsibilities and family. Others are now not able to be productive at all. When one loses the self confidence, he seizes to be important. We have to understand as men we are very important. I wish all the men took their rightful positions in society. I believe most of the social, moral and other misconducts we are having in our society is as a result of men having failed to understand that we are very important. We are the pace setters and we are supposed to be the models for our young men and the boys.

In order then to change for the better, there are four important facts that must be addressed on how you think, feel and act:

• · Know Yourself
• · Understand Yourself
• · Accept Yourself
• · Love Yourself

Know Yourself

The man must ask himself who really he is. You must know yourself. Do you pay attention to your thoughts, feelings and actions? This is absolutely essential, because you can't change what you don't notice.

As you move through your day, listen to your thoughts. Are they mostly positive and productive? Our feelings are highly accurate barometers of how well we are taking care of ourselves. Feelings can be triggered by our thoughts, our experiences, and our interactions with others.

Finally, take a good look at your actions. Do your actions support your goals, or do you find yourself distracted with trivial activities or procrastinating getting the important things done?

Understand Yourself

Most of us don’t try to understand ourselves. We are mostly pushed by our peers and finally do things we ought not to have done. When you take the time to notice and know your thoughts, feelings and actions, you will begin to see patterns of beliefs and behaviors. Once you recognize these patterns, it is important to explore how they were created and how they may be limiting and restricting you, rather than supporting you.

The only way to understand your feelings is to allow yourself to feel them – without judging or denying them. When you feel a strong emotion, remind yourself that it is okay to feel this way. Then ask yourself what is underneath the emotion. Perhaps your feelings are trying to draw your attention to an unmet need or some unresolved pain from the past. Discovering why you feel a particular emotion helps you to understand yourself and ultimately take better care of yourself.

Accept Yourself

Accept yourself for who you are. As you gain a greater understanding of your thoughts, feelings and actions, it becomes easier to lessen your self-judgments and become more self-compassionate. Accept yourself for who and how you are in the moment, know that you don't have to be perfect, and maintain a steady momentum of personal development to bring you even closer to your ideal you.

Since your brain can only hold one thought at a time, you may want to create a list of affirmations or positive statements to say out loud or silently to yourself to replace any negativity. Really even talk to yourself. Notice all the good about yourself. You are very important.

Choose your actions wisely. Seek a balance between productive activities that will bring you closer to your goals, and recreational activities that will nurture and energize you. Reward yourself when you do something spectacular or achieve a big goal, and forgive yourself if you have a frustrating or unproductive day.

Love Yourself

Most men don’t love themselves. You are very important and this can be achieved by first loving yourself. When you choose to accept yourself, rather than judge yourself, it's easier to notice your good qualities and celebrate your successes.

Your thoughts will be loving and supportive, and you will have a much more positive outlook. Your emotions will flow freely, and you will feel comfortable expressing your wants and needs. Your actions will be in alignment with your goals and dreams, and you will feel empowered to live your life to the fullest.

Finally

When you know yourself, understand yourself, accept yourself, and love yourself, you will naturally be more self-confident. Incorporate these four steps into your daily routine, and you will be amazed at how much better you feel about yourself and the world around you!

Don’t overlook knowing yourself, understanding yourself, accepting yourself, and loving yourself. You will then influence the people around you as you are very, very importaaaaaaaaant.