personal acceptance

[Shari]

I thought since I've reached the milestone of my 200th post, I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to any of you who I may have come across as maybe cynical or just quite not so understanding at times

In comes on the heels of a personal revelation.

In recent weeks I've fallen off the wagon so to speak and found myself trying to convince myself that I really wasn't like most here. It's all come back and I'm helpless to fight the feelings.

Truth be told, I now know what I am and have been since I was very young.
Can you say personal acceptance?
It feels good to write it.
It feels good to be it.
It feels good to have so many friends here.

Thanks everybody, for being here for me.

[Lisa Golightly]

Accepting or embracing yourself is a huge thing. Glad you got there and I hope you find contentment and peace in the future.

Lisa x

[deja true]

Yup! A huge thing, indeed!

(Maybe even more important than finding that perfect shade of lipstick! LOL!)

Seriously... it means not having to feel so conflicted or guilty every time you dress or even think about it.

A small step for trans kind... a giant step for Shari kind!

Yay for you!

[Gabrielle Hermosa]

Personal acceptance is the key to learning to love yourself. Accept who you are and love yourself, and life will be a much happier journey.

Without personal acceptance, one is more likely to exhibit "cynical" behavior. Been there BIG time myself.

About being like "most" here... is anyone one of us like "most"?

We're all crossdressers. Beyond that, I see SO many differences in everyone. It's fun to meet and learn about everyone's differences in addition to having our cding in common. I know what you meant by your statement, but wanted to make a quick point.

Just be true to yourself, Shari. I'll respect you for that... and I bet you'll respect yourself more for that too.

[Dressing Jill]

Hi Shari

First off you have beautiful legs.

Yes we are all the same because we are all cder's but then the differences begin we are all our own unique individual people..

Loving your self is the most impotatant thing you can do in this life. If you don't love yourself you can't truely love others.

[TGMarla]

I'm glad for you, and we're always here for you. When I finally came to self-acceptance, realizing not only that this was not going to go away, but was really an important part of who I am, I was able to run with it and make it a whole lot better and more enjoyable for myself. May you experience the same positive effects.

[Miranda09]

[Ruth]

Sorry if I'm just repeating, but yes, self-acceptance really is the key. If you are OK with this behavior, you lose the problem of guilt, which is a big burden. And you also become more open about sharing with others, which relieves another burden, that of keeping a secret.
So it's a great step forward.

[O2B Barbara]

A truly big step in accepting yourself as you are! Congratulations.

[cindyscute]

good advice

[Teri Jean]

Shari, you have always been here and we love you as you are. That is what friends do, and we couldn't be friends if we cannot help each other. Huggs to you and hope you will write again soon. Keli

[Christina Horton]

I excepted myself years ago like in my teens. But until two years ago when I found this site and last year on Aug 9th my first day out I have been so much happier with my live you can't believe........or maybe ya can. It feels so good to love who you are that I sometimes wonder why I took so long for me to do this.

I so Love being CD it's better then drugs, driving my Corvette, better then sex, Well maybe not better then sex but you get my point. Your whole life will seem more fulfilled and fuller and more love for who you are and where your life is going. Don't ever stop loving who you are cuz If you do you dam well better be dead cuz if not it could kill your spirit, an maybe your self too. HUGGS

[paulaN]

You have reached a real, a huge milestone in life. Great for you by the way. The trick is being able to stay with it 100% from here on out. I'm pullen for ya.

[JulieC]

The first time I went to a CD support group meeting it shocked the heck out of me. I'm like these people??? I can't be. Am I sure?

I didn't run or flee or anything, but I was alarmed at first. I stayed the whole meeting, and at the end felt "Yes, I'm like these people" and it felt GOOD!

Sort of a similar effect perhaps can be found reading this forum.

Shari, glad you found self acceptance! It's SOOO hard!

[Sammy777]

First me let say Congratulations.

Secondly - It feels good doesn't it.
Realizing just what and who you are [and accepting it] can be is a great thing and feels like a weight has lifted off of you.

[Tanya C]

With personal acceptance CDing becomes a much more rewarding experience. You tend to take more pride in your CDing and pay better attention to makeup and style of clothes. When you are at peace with who you are quality of life dramatically improves.
I think it's going to be a wonderful journey for you from this point forward.

Love always,

Tanya

[trannie T]

Congratulations! Learning to like yourself is a major step. Too bad the rest of us can't stand you.

[Seamus_Jameson]

I'm really glad for you. It gives me hope to realize that people can come to acceptance, even if it takes a long time.

Me, I'm still working on it.

[docrobbysherry]

Yup! A huge thing, indeed!

(Maybe even more important than finding that perfect shade of lipstick! LOL!)

Seriously... it means not having to feel so conflicted or guilty every time you dress or even think about it.

A small step for trans kind... a giant step for Shari kind!

Yay for you!

At least ONE Shari is unconflicted!
And after ONLY 200 posts! I heard it took AT LEAST 20,000!

[Lisa Catherine]

HEY, Shari, 1) NICE Heels, and skirt (or dress) self-acceptance is ABSOLUTELY key in this life, I berated and hated myself until recently, (SCC '08 was my key moment in "coming out" and accepting myself as I am, a CD'ing G-male). I've also "exited the closet" with my youngest sister, and she has accepted my femme side as well! I grew up in a VERY dysfunctional family, and they'll NEVER accept my femme side, so I'm gonna have to drive on as I see fit! I'm gonna get deployed in the Middle East very soon, so keeping my femme side under wraps is a very high priority right now!! GO ON, GIRLFRIEND, and ENJOY LIFE as you do, life's too short to NOT enjoy it!!
"DOLL-UP" and enjoy life, girlfriend!!

[Kate Lynn]

I am who I am,nothing can change that I was born this way,it has been a rough life,lots of abuse,assaults,even death threats,but I remain me.

I can't be totally me now,my job,and my coworkers just wouldn't get it,some of them fear individuality,so I have to wait until Feb. next year to go back to being me again.

I can live with that,after all it's who I am.