A Weight

One of the more unfortunate human traits is self-conciouness. You want to dance in the street but are afraid of what people will think because that awareness has been baked into us since birth. 

Yesterday as I spoke to my son I told him that the biggest gift he can give himself besides fortifying his critical thinking, empathy and kindness is to as much as possible eliminate the aspects of self-awareness which are unhealthy. 

I told him that the "what will people think" reflex should be wiped from his concious thought especially when so many of them are racked with their own particular strains of it. It is completely wasted energy.

I was an expert myself at being self-aware but as shyness burned off and experience taught me how human nature works, I became free of it finally. I just retained the public decorum that my father was so particularly gifted at. 

There is something very satisfying in shedding that particular weight.

If you haven't already done so, try it and see.