How do you feel about yourself? Do you think you are a good person
or a bad person? The way you feel about yourself determines your thoughts,
emotions and actions.
Your thoughts and emotions control you because you allow them to. When
you give these thoughts and emotions (whether positive or negative) the attention
they need, they thrive. They control you.
When you are bombarded by life, you feel overwhelmed. You look at
life negatively and self-pity absorbs you. Allowing negative thoughts and emotions
to control you makes you arrogant. You believe that you alone are right (the
world is wrong) and you alone suffer (no-one on earth can suffer as much as you
do at that given moment). Within your comfort zone of arrogance, which protects
you from the world, you refuse to acknowledge that you can be wrong and that
there are people in the world suffering far more than you are. You revel in self-pity
because no-one enjoys suffering.
Your thoughts and emotions can be burdensome, but, because they’re
not lethal, you can survive whatever you experience. Survivors don’t quit. They
don’t roll over and die! They fight for something better. That’s what you do
every day. When you hold your breath for as long as you possibly can, you will soon become aware of the pressure that builds up inside of you. When it becomes too hard to bear, instinct
to survive kicks in and you start breathing again. Relief is the first thing
that flows through your body. Your instinct to survive is the most powerful
motivation that keeps you going.
Instead of self-pity during times of difficulty, you need to accept
life for what it is. It’s a rollercoaster ride that will have its ups and
downs, turns and twists, and moments of sheer exhilaration or horror. That’s
life. Life is what it is. Putting yourself in the centre of all the events and
experiences that life offers is wrong. Life isn’t just about you. Instead of
focusing on the hardship, you need to look at the positive things in life.
If you look around, you’ll find a situation or person that needs your
help. Instead of being self-absorbed and stressing about how you are going to
get out of your own pool of fire, you should be a positive influence to those around
you. Radiate your energy and light.
You give of yourself because you want to make the world a better
place, even if it is only for a moment, for one particular person and in one
very small and seemingly insignificant situation. Your decisions and actions
must be good and generous without expectation that serves self-interest. You
need to be selfless! Even when goodness and generosity are not reciprocated, you
need to go forward, resilient and focused.
Sticks and stones may break your bones, but they will not diminish
your spirit. You learn to ignore your own small personal problems and render your
service to help people with their problems.
To live a fulfilling life means that you change your self-centred
(me-first) attitude to a more mindful attitude, an attitude where you become
aware of the needs of others. You can’t deplete your energy by helping
everyone, but you can, even in silence, be supportive. Everyone on earth has a
burden to bear. Instead of adding weight to these burdens, you should learn to
show compassion.
It all starts with patience and gratitude. Once you exercise
patience and show gratitude for life itself, you will always be ready to make a
positive difference on a daily basis.
