I often observe that our decisions are made by our egos. We are living in the times where we have a significant need to be valued. We strive for not only bigger and better commodities but also to be bigger and better than the person next door. The value add-on is often external and materialistic. We also teach our kids to strive for the big dreams, big grades, big dolls, big guns, big brands, and big jobs. We continuously send the message to everyone that we are not enough just by ourselves. We need a sticker price for us to be worthy.
YOU Are Enough
No wonder a number of people are struggling with their self esteem. They often feel not good enough, inadequate, less than. Not to say that we shouldn’t encourage people to dream big. The problem is we are just scratching at the surface for quick fix happiness. We forget that the value needs to come from within. It is internally that we need to seek the answers otherwise it’s just a merry go round. To be happy with ourselves we have to fit a mold based on our own values- values that we actually care for instead of the ones imposed by external forces: society, media, religion and culture.
The Most is Said When You Say Nothing
The answers… can be found when we allow ourselves to be silent, and make it a practice to do nothing from time to time. We need to be able to sit with ourselves, to look deep within and come up with our own answers in spite of the confusion that might jump at us in the beginning. To do that we need to stop keeping ourselves busy – busy working, busy socializing, busy accumulating, busy avoiding, busy escaping. We have to change the culture of “doing” to “experiencing.” We need to accept that mere pondering is okay. Non performance is okay too, if its not to avoid or escape. Silence allows for us to finally be introduced to our own selves. In our culture and times, silence is mistakenly labeled as depression. But it’s a journey to find our true self and sometimes that comes after the sadness as we realize the futility of “doings” that we have been busy with.
Let Your Guard Down for YOU and No One Else
It important to slow down and shed the ego, which is reckless and ruthless. The ego is a by- product of the dictates of society, media, and various insecurities we carry. Lets not strive for the fluorescent sticker with many digits decorated with flamboyant nothings. Lets strive to reach that Buddha within, and initiate our own journeys, true to our meaning and unshackled by our egos.