The greatest thing about spirituality is that we all have access to it. It lives within each and every one of us. We are born connected to it, and all that is required to get back to our truth is to let go of our ego and journey within. Stop looking outside of yourself and turn inward for the answers.
When I first started out on this path, and I realized that I wanted to talk to people about life and spirituality I very quickly heard my ego pipe up telling me I was not adequate to do so. I would read blog posts and articles and immediately scroll down to look at the bios of the people who wrote them. Many had traveled the globe or studied under Buddhist monks -- who the heck was I to talk about spirituality?
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?" -- Marianne Williamson
Comparison is the voice of the ego, always working to keep you in a place of fear. This fear-based way of thinking and comparing yourself to others is easily exasperated in the age of social media. Today we view a very filtered and edited version of people's lives. Scrolling through Facebook or Instagram is the perfect opportunity for the ego to sneak in and fill your mind with thoughts of negativity and fear which lead you to believe that you are separate from those around you.
The important thing to recognize is when the ego is the one running the show. The simple act of awareness and becoming the observer of your thoughts will help you be able to call out those thought patterns and release them. It's when you start believing them that it becomes a problem. One of my favorite sayings is: What you focus on expands. If you focus the negative, that is what you will continue to attract in your life.
"The ego seeks to divide and separate. Spirit seeks to unify and heal." -- A Course in Miracles
A miracle is nothing but a shift in perception. The trick is to catch yourself in the act and stop those negative thoughts dead in their tracks. Say to yourself: I am determined to see things differently. Change your thought pattern and try to see if you can find a way to shed some positivity and light on the situation. Instead of looking at the greatness in others and feeling bad about yourself, look at the greatness in others and say to yourself: The light I see in others is a reflection of the light in me.
Don't be fooled though, this same way of thinking can also be applied to our shadow. There are times you can be scrolling through Facebook or walking through life and you are so quick to judge others and call out their faults. In reality, the faults you see in others are likely the faults you don't want to recognize in yourself. When you find yourself judging others about their choices in life, their clothes, their spouse, their homes, it is a reflection of you and how you feel inside. Do the work, dig deep and get to the root of the issue. Find out where the insecurity lies within yourself and how you can improve it.
Let this post serve as a reminder for you to be kind to yourself, and be kind to others. We are all walking this path of life together -- let us lift each other up! Life is too short to be jealous or angry. Next time, tell that person how great they look in that picture, congratulate them on their new job or tell them what a beautiful family they have. If you find yourself getting down about your own life, take a technology break and get out into nature. Make a list of as many things as you can that you are grateful for right now. Don't detour into fear; you have to train your mind to focus on the positive! Your thoughts hold power, so use them wisely.
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