deepundergroundpoetry.com
THE SILENT ENEMY
It stalks the land
in the rhetoric of sweet
surrender and "nice
persons finish first"
pseudo successism.
Great sacrifices are made
to acquire and hold on
to it once gained.
What is this silent enemy?
APPROVAL!
Some persons are slaves
to their need for approval.
They have been trained
to do whatever will gain the
approval of others or another.
It is evidenced by
the clothes they wear,
the language they use,
where they live, what they drive,
the people they choose
to associate with. It's a double-
edged sword that creates two fears:
Not only the desire for acceptance
but also the fear of rejection.
The ladder of rejection has 4 steps:
TOTAL rejection--"Nothing you do
is ever good enough."
Highly conditioned rejection--
"You'd better ... or else."
Mildly conditional acceptance:
"I like you because."
Unconditional acceptance:
"I love you, there isn't anything
you can do or be that'll keep
me from loving and accepting
YOU."
Yes, unconditional acceptance
is a challenge but the rewards
of refusing to let this enemy
imprison us are worth it.
NO!
I'm not writing this for
your approval just bringing
it up for thought,
in the rhetoric of sweet
surrender and "nice
persons finish first"
pseudo successism.
Great sacrifices are made
to acquire and hold on
to it once gained.
What is this silent enemy?
APPROVAL!
Some persons are slaves
to their need for approval.
They have been trained
to do whatever will gain the
approval of others or another.
It is evidenced by
the clothes they wear,
the language they use,
where they live, what they drive,
the people they choose
to associate with. It's a double-
edged sword that creates two fears:
Not only the desire for acceptance
but also the fear of rejection.
The ladder of rejection has 4 steps:
TOTAL rejection--"Nothing you do
is ever good enough."
Highly conditioned rejection--
"You'd better ... or else."
Mildly conditional acceptance:
"I like you because."
Unconditional acceptance:
"I love you, there isn't anything
you can do or be that'll keep
me from loving and accepting
YOU."
Yes, unconditional acceptance
is a challenge but the rewards
of refusing to let this enemy
imprison us are worth it.
NO!
I'm not writing this for
your approval just bringing
it up for thought,
Published 24th Apr 2021
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24th Apr 2021 2:10pm
24th Apr 2021 2:25pm
Yes, it's a challenge. Thanks for your comment. Hope all is well in your beautiful country. Hugs and peace, oral
It's been my lifelong search, I admit. I never really received approval when I should have, during my formative years, so I know that I search for it now as an adult. However, therapy has helped me to recognize that tendency and now I try to derive most of that approval seeking from me and garnering my own self-approval. I'm not always successful but a constant work in progress....
Terrific write, Oral
Thought provoking, per usual.
🌹
xo
B
Terrific write, Oral
Thought provoking, per usual.
🌹
xo
B
24th Apr 2021 4:56pm
Yes, the reality is that none of us, or most of us, is totally free from this challenge. It is usually tied to our energy level, sources, and the view we have of the other person. As always I deeply appreciate your comments, you're the best, my Princess. Hugs and kisses, Oral
24th Apr 2021 10:13pm
Self-approval is pretty wicked. My fingertips touched that feeling and have had that mirror talk of acceptance more often that I've realized lately. I just need to make it my norm..
Being recognized, being acknowledged is sorely lacking. It's all about me, me, me. I want recognized, i want to talk, I want to be heard too and acknowledged for my thoughts. Too often, I simply put them away, don't say a damned thing, as it does no good when the finger always points inward. So a lot goes unsaid, unheard. I'm simply unrecognizable. Writing and reading this has brought me to tears.
