Dear Reader:

Jock suggested that his Purpose is “being a better, more ethical person“- what I learned is that to be a better person, a more caring, empathetic person and a more ethical person,  requires adequate mental health, and  adequate mental health requires freedom from excess shame.

As I improved (and continue to improve) my mental health, I am becoming a better and a more ethical person. I learned that the two (mental health and being a good, ethical person) go together, hand in hand.

Jock also mentioned self-respect as part of his Purpose- same thing: there can be no consistent-enough self-respect when a person falls once in a while into the painful abyss of excess shame. Same in regard to his purpose to accept (himself ) unconditionally and therefore other people“, and in regard to Tolerance for his inadequacies and for what he referred to as his past sins– excess shame is the OPPOSITE of accepting oneself; it is the opposite of tolerating one own’s (and others’) inadequacies and imperfections.

When a person suffers from excess shame, past sins remain magnified in the person’s mind, unchanged and it is therefore impossible to forgive oneself.

Jock mentioned his Purpose to “fully accept (his) current situation without self-judgement“, and “to accept future ‘current situations’“- shame and self-judgment are almost synonymous. Can’t accept myself if I am ashamed of myself.

Jock wrote: “I strive for self-honesty“- I learned that to be honest with myself, I had to gain enough mental health= to free myself from excess shame first, otherwise the brain is too tormented with shame to be able to see clearly.

I will continue later.

anita