You Are the Only One Who Gets to Be You
As my yoga class is winding down, my teacher is giving her end-of-class pep talk. When she says, “You are the only one who gets to be you”, it strikes my fancy. Part of me is feeling the enlightened mindset of that, thinking, ‘wow, what a cool concept to meditate on,’ while another, cynical layer sardonically chimes in with, ‘oh joy,’ smiling grimly at that unfortunate truth. But I only linger in the latter for a few seconds. It is true that being me has been hell; absolute hell. If you didn’t get that, ABSOLUTE HELL. 😆 But - - it didn’t have to turn out this way. Other outcomes were possible. We all have weaknesses and disadvantages, make missteps, fall into unfortunate or unlucky circumstances, take turns for the worse, not have anyone who can help us at times, not be able to help ourselves. Sometimes it all snowballs into one massive flop. And sometimes it doesn’t. The point is that we are bigger than how our lives or we ourselves have happened to turn out. This statement ‘you are the only one who gets to be you’ is, at it’s core, about the fact that you’re here — you’re alive! That’s a positive thing. More specifically, you’re you, and no one else is, nor will the world ever again be graced with your specific likeness.
And there is an inherent question inside of it, which is, what makes you, you? What is your spirit like? How does your mind work? What do you bring into the world with you? And what can you bring into the world? We all have our own capabilities and attributes, as well as capacities that we can grow further into. Certain aspects will even have the possibility to generate either something negative or something positive; it could go either way. So even though it may seem that a particular trait has mostly engendered negativity, try to think about all the positive ways that it can possibly manifest.
When I think about the statement ‘you are the only one who gets to be you,’ I think about the possibility of wasting those positive aspects, which the world could totally benefit from if I just let myself ‘be me’, if I’m not too afraid to let myself shine, if I’m not carried away into oblivion by hardship and discouragement. I know how much inherent capacity I have — a lot, actually. But I am one of those unfortunate circumstances where nothing ever came of me and I reached a super dark place where I’ve frankly been incapacitated for years upon years. It leads me to think about how many multitudes of people could have made a great impact with their lives and their talents, or simply have lived inspired and fulfilling lives but instead led mediocre lives because they didn’t have enough inspiration or support or whatnot.
Just think…if you could have pursued that dream…gotten through that personal difficulty….honed those skills….and I mean think big….what could you additionally have to show for your life now? Or what experiences and memories would be under your belt? What would instead be occupying the spaces that are currently taken up by not-so-evolved characteristics, or negative aspects of yourself? Don’t take this the wrong way and get depressed by it. I’m just trying to show how possible it was, and IS, for a greater self to be. Because it was meant to be possible. You were born with it in you. It’s what your spirit deep down yearns for — to fully become, to keep manifesting, to fully interact with life. As long as we’re still alive, we have the privilege of being us. Hopefully we can be appreciative of that, and be able to see and feel our vast, true selves.
‘You are the only one who gets to be you’ is such a powerful statement because it addresses your spirit. Kindles a spark in the fundamental ‘you’ at your core. It advocates being strong, putting in a good effort, being appreciative of the life and spirit you now have. And shows, in a simple way, that your life is a positive thing. So, don’t fix your sights on what’s currently wrong, look upon what can go right. Go out and greet life with your unique self, because no one else but you is given the opportunity!
