identity exercise: lovable

When I hear the word lovable, I think of something cute and cuddly, soft and squishy like a stuffed animal.  In the dictionary, it means inspiring or deserving love or affection.

I struggle to see myself as lovable.  I am overly familiar with my faults and I identify strongly with those.  It's much easier to think of a list of things wrong with me than to try to understand why someone would say that I am lovable, and try to explain what they mean.

If I go by my definition, I could say that I'm carrying enough pounds to be squishy and cuddly and soft, I suppose.  And I'm often told I'm cute or adorable - maybe because I'm shortish and I can be excitable about simple things?

If I look at myself through the dictionary definition, it's harder.  What makes a person lovable?  Is it my smile?  My looks?  How I dress?  My interests and hobbies?  More than these, I think.  I hope it's the way I care about people.  I want it to be my gentle spirit that makes me lovable.  Or my go-with-the-flow nature.  I want to be lovable because people can tell that I'm fun and that I care about them.  I hope that's what makes me lovable.