Are you a good bird?

Intense

Quiet

Loud

Soft

Extrovert

Introvert

If you are the opposite of those around you, you might feel like you don't fit in, belong, or are good enough. You may have even felt ashamed for not being "just right".

Have you ever read the book Stellaluna by Janelle Cannon? 

It is the story of a baby fruit bat who tries to be the best bird she can be. Yes, a bird! She gets shamed by mama bird for behaving un-bird like and told she must eat bugs and stay in the nest right side up (the illustrations are wonderful and worth the look). 

Stellaluna gets the message loud and clear she is not acceptable as she is. 

Have you ever felt this way? I know I have. 

While writing this, the distinction between being shamed and feeling ashamed became crystal clear---- ashamed is the personal feeling of being "bad" while being shamed is a verb, an action done to you by someone else.

Neither feels good.

What's important is to be true to who you know yourself to be.  I've been able to look back and see I've been mismatched with some people and it's this mismatch that's the issue and it is NOT personal. How we approach things and respond isn't about "good" or "bad". There are differences. 

Here's to  "I'll never have to eat another bug!"  (to quote Stellaluna)

Beth