I saw a large sign the other day: “A chicken doesn’t have teeth, don’t be a chicken.” I know I don’t get around much, but I wondered what in the heck that meant. Did it mean, don’t be a chicken, have courage? Upon turning to my friend, Google, I learned it is a slogan for a dental office. I thought, Oh, that makes sense. Duh! Truthfully, I didn’t know a chicken didn’t have teeth. More honestly, I never wondered if they did.

I don’t know what chickens have to do with mental health, but I do know being truthful and laughing at ourselves is a good start. The other day someone told me I was naive. I said, yes, I certainly am, and always have been, and being my age, I likely always will be. There was silence, but I wasn’t being confrontational.

Mental health improves if you know who you are and carry it proudly.

Once, a woman said to me, “Jennifer, I used to think you were the most put-together woman I ever met, but then I got to know you.” That was an ouch, and then I wondered what I did to make her think I was all put together. My brain has perpetually moved faster than my body. Self-understanding is more important than someone else’s opinion.

Assessing students’ and clients’ personality types was essential to my career. I seldom worked with anyone without knowing their personality strengths. How can we begin to live our potential if we don’t know, accept, and build on our innate gifts?

Sure, as we get older, we’ve learned from trial and error, mainly error, where we excel, enjoy, and accomplish with little effort. But, having a professional person test and interpret your personality traits can help fast-forward you—living connected to yourself is the bonus. Knowing your preferred operating modes can save years of frustration and low self-esteem.

If we know who we are, we can laugh at ourselves and not feel stabbed in the chest when someone says unkind words. A chicken isn’t offended if someone says, “Your teeth are crooked.” She knows she doesn’t have teeth, so those words don’t bother her in the least. Putdowns only bother us if we believe them to be true. Know yourself.

Mental health involves being authentic, owning who you are, and laughing when an egg ends up on your face.

Nothing is more powerful than learning to love, live with, communicate with, encourage and forgive yourself. You have gifts to build on, and I wish all my readers the courage to figure it out and live YOU to the fullest, even if you didn’t know chickens have no teeth.

Until the next time: Live while you live.

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