There is a common trait among people on the spiritual path to self-actualization. Often, because we tend to focus so much on self-improvement, all of that effort can easily turn into us being hypercritical and negative about ourselves. Meanwhile, people who spend no time on introspection can be perfectly content being rude, lacking ambition, and having little success.
So, how do we strive for a better future without hating where we are right now? How do we strive for excellence without resenting our flaws? How can we take on learning new things and gaining new experiences without the fear of failing? And, how can we not judge ourselves or any others along the way?
Truth is, growth is scary and hard. Success requires courage and confidence. To achieve anything truly great, there WILL be rejection and setbacks. The key is not to avoid them but to embrace them. We can be thankful for the lessons of rejection. We can love those precious opportunities to further refine our skills. We can even take delight in discovering our own ignorances, weaknesses and limitations. And, we can stop comparing ourselves to the fake world that’s portrayed on social media where most people only share their successes and never their failures. This is the only way we can dare to dream big while maintaining our presence and clarity so that we can achieve our dreams.
We only fail when we fail to learn or when we give up entirely. In case you feel like you keep failing over and over again even after trying super hard, here’s a podcast episode for finding that lesson and the strength to move forward.
Whatever it is that we fear, we can love. Whatever is holding us back can become our greatest asset. There is always improvement within rejection. There is always a lesson in our setbacks. Only once we stop being afraid of failure can we become free from failure.
Always remember:
They say if someone hears voices that person is mentally impaired and delusional. Yet we all have a voice in our head. As long as that voice goes by our own name and we believe it is who we truly are, then society says it’s OK. But the truth is, that voice is not you. That is the trick of the ego and a delusion we all share.
Even though we don’t act on every impulse we have in our brain, we still give this inner voice power over us. Even though it is often negative, nonsensical and repetitive, we listen to its opinions and believe them.
The truth is that you are life itself. You are the mysteriously magical arising of consciousness; a finite point of awareness in an infinite universe (I talk more about the nature of consciousness in my video, What Pixar Movies Teach Us About Reality). But our thoughts only have power over us if we remain unaware of how the mind actually works. Simply by observing our thoughts, rather than just thinking the thoughts, we become free from the whims of our mind. Only by freeing our mind in this way can true freedom ever be experienced.
No matter what happened last week, let’s celebrate our victories. But, let’s also celebrate where we learned, where we grew, and where we developed new insights that can propel us forward despite the ups and downs we may face along the way. You have never been wiser or more experienced than you are right now in this moment. Yesterday is already in the past. Next week is full of unlimited potential. Onward and upward!
PS: While most people who meditate experience amazing results, it’s not uncommon for negative emotions to come up. For a better meditation experience, check out my article about 6 common meditation mistakes that can lead to anxiety and what to do instead.
