Ever Hear of Badassery?

Just loved this article on badassery...

I've become convinced that in fact, badassery is an absolutely noble goal to pursue. And although the following might not be an exhaustive list, if I were to put a definition around what someone who practices badassery would be, it would go something like:

■Someone who isn't afraid to wish good things for herself. Someone who believes she's worthy of being happy.

■Someone who isn't afraid to make goals, and then once those goals are made, isn't afraid of taking those first, tiny steps toward achieving those goals.

■Someone who realizes that taking care of himself isn't selfish or egotistical, but that sometimes you have to put the oxygen mask on first before you start helping others.

■Someone who realizes that at his core, he's a good person. And that given this, when he makes a mistake, maybe he should go easy on himself.

■Someone who, when bad things happen (and make no mistake, they will happen), will not spend valuable time thinking about who did her wrong, or why the world is conspiring against her, but will instead spend that time working through it by taking care of herself, leaning on friends as necessary, asking for help when needed, and treating herself as she would a good friend going through a similar situation. Someone who, when life knocks her down, does what she can to pick herself up, dust herself off, and try, try again.

■Someone who makes kindness to friends, people around him (like waiters and others in the service industry), and even strangers his primary focus; and who also takes care to surround himself and cultivate relationships with good friends who have equal focus. Someone who is never afraid to speak his mind or his truth, but always does so with kindness.

■And finally (and probably most predictably), someone who works hard at reframing the things that make him different, recognizing them as attributes that are sources of great beauty, and when used for good, maybe even superpowers.

(read the entire article at... http://www.chookooloonks.com/blog/month/december-2010)