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What she's taught us about being real and mastering flaws.
By Lori Peters — Written on Feb 21, 2017
This Is Us, an American TV show on NBC, is exploding with fans discussing its characters as well as its relevance to life and our own issues and problems. One of these characters is Kate, played by Chrissy Metz.
Kate doesn’t have an easy life because of major weight problem which affects her psyche and, at times, her every day living. Yet, she seems to thrive. This is how she does it, and so should you.
Here are 4 lessons about confidence and self-esteem that Kate from This Is Us teaches us:
1. Kate is not our society’s vision of physical beauty... so what?
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The way we are physically perceived by others is often a very sticky point for us, and it's no different for Chrissy Metz's character Kate. We want to be liked and desire others to be attracted to us. However, we just might have a glaring flaw or two. Kate’s weight is her Achilles heel and it trips her up a lot.
Yet, not only does she have a boyfriend, she has other men vying for her attention. This extremely large woman really doesn’t have a problem getting men. Now that’s inspirational. It reminds us to just take the chance and put ourselves out there, flaws and all, with the knowledge that others will crave what we have to offer.
People want to be around our dear Kate because although she’s a larger woman, she doesn't allow that stop her from living her life. So, neither should you. Who cares if you’re not perfect?
2. Kate struggles with life yet forges ahead.
It’s not easy to live with our flaws. We often ache to change them and sometimes we do. But at what expense? Are we really living and being our authentic selves every day even though we know our issues exist? Or do we obsess over them allowing our insecurities to get in the way?
Here's some advice from Bustle's Maxine Builder on flaws: "Take a tip from Japanese ceramics, and look at your flaws as important parts of your personal story and history, of where you’ve been and what you’ve experienced. They’re beautiful, just like gold glue."
Kate takes the bull by the horns. Her struggles are very evident and are on the forefront of her mind, yet she still goes on. It’s just not worth missing out on your life and all the amazing opportunities because you believe in perfection: "I’ll do this when I lose that 40 pounds or get that college degree or get that nose job."
All of a sudden it’s ten years later and you find yourself laying in a bed of regrets. Do it now!
3. Kate tells it like it is because it’s necessary to be real.
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Kate’s full of piss and vinegar. She has her moral and ethical code in place and is adamant about what she believes is right and wrong. It’s so important not to waver on your values, no matter how you feel about yourself. It’s the best way to stay grounded and makes life decisions easier when problems come into your life.
It feels better to be genuinely you, mainly because there is no one else in the world quite like you. OK, so maybe we need a little tweaking here and there — that’s part of the growth process.
But it allows the right people to be in our lives at the right time, even if we don’t understand at the moment why. Think about it, the answers always seem clear later.
4. Kate has high self-esteem and that is a must in your life.
I’m just going to give it to you straight: High self-esteem is everything.
Kate’s weight does not affect this overall. That’s how she still gets men to love her and people to respect her. That’s how her character commands an audience and gets people to understand and listen to her. We all want to be heard — it’s universal, and you won’t express yourself with authenticity if you don’t love yourself first.
Honoring yourself is not being egotistical. It means you have the confidence to say what needs to be said. You know you are worthy and you bring value to others and life. You accept that you’re not perfect but you’re working on it like all human beings are.
You’re special unlike anyone else and that’s a gift that you just open and cherish for a lifetime. If you’re not there, get working on it today.
According to DorisAnn at MD Junction: "The importance of a healthy self-esteem for the foundation of your existence cannot be underestimated. Your esteem is important because it has an impact on your life and choices. Your self-value is the source of your mental health."
What does Kate really do in a nut shell? She brings us hope. She reminds us that our physical and mental affairs are part of life and dealing with them is integral to our journey.
Human beings are not supposed to be flawless. When we decide to accept that, we can get on to the business of living in peace and bringing more joy and happiness to ourselves and others.
Lori Peters, MS in Counseling, is a radio show host, writer, and speaker in relationship happiness. Check out her blog, services, and sign up for her FREE newsletter. You can find all of Lori's happiness information in one location by clicking here.
This article was originally published at Happiness Hangout. Reprinted with permission from the author.