Change Your Reality

"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not" – Anonymous

I included this quote in my ezine this week where I talked about how the tendency towards perfectionism can really be a disguise for feeling inadequate. But the issue of feeling inadequate goes much deeper. I think man has struggled since the beginning of time with believing in themselves. Why is this such a difficult concept for us to grasp? When we believe in ourselves, we feel good, energized and things just somehow start to fall in place. We get a taste of that inner peace we know about and hear people talk of and everything in our lives for just that moment feels right. But rather than living a life totally believing in ourselves and sharing our unique gifts with others, we tend to fall back into our habit of living in a reality that centers on lack and questioning our abilities. No one is immune to this struggle. Even the greatest athletes and actors who have clearly accomplished so much still confront this in their daily lives. I remember once listening to an interview with Meryl Streep and she said still questions her ability to be a good actress. I found that absolutely shocking how someone who has clearly accomplished so much in her career could even begin to question if she is good enough. 

Many philosophers over the ages have provided us insightful quotes in an effort to share their wisdom and help us overcome this struggle. They have all deeply felt the pain and complexity of the struggle that lies within ourselves and hinders us for experiencing true peace. We all are familiar with, "I think, therefore I am" from 17^th century philosopher René Descartes who did his best to deny the existence of a divine source and searched for the meaning of man's presence. But his quote, which is just as relevant today as it was back in the 1500's, demonstrates this struggle is not bounded by time or place. I find it interesting that Descartes in all his efforts to find a meaning to man's existence came to the same conclusion that has already been provided for us in the Bible. Proverbs 23:7 says "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he". The reality of life most definitely resides in our thoughts and what we embrace as truth in our hearts. If we believe we are not good enough or can't do something, then that is our reality and unfortunately that is a reality too many of us have painted for ourselves and have grown accustomed to. But consider for a moment if you were to paint a different reality. Change those thoughts of not being good enough into positive affirmations that you are good enough and you can do whatever you put your mind to. Exercise those thoughts on a daily basis just as you would exercise a muscle and allow yourself to embrace a new reality of peace, abundance and success. Don't give into the struggle to go back to your old reality but rather press forward to overcome that struggle stay focused until you find yourself living in a new reality that provides you with deeper fulfillment and a sense of inner peace. We have been told since the beginning of time that that reality does exist and all we need to do is make the conscious decision to embrace it. God has a given each and every one of us a unique gift or talent to share with this world and our role is to uncover what that is for us and then live our lives in the reality of moving forward fulfilling that purpose. In God's eyes, you are more than good enough to fulfill that purpose, you were uniquely created just for that very reason!