Tuesday, September 20, 2022
We are much too close to ourselves. That’s because we often only notice ourselves from the inside out (a very subjective place to be). But what if you could notice yourself from the outside, in? Wouldn’t that make you look more like a stranger, in many ways? But that’s the key to understanding our own suffering. How you see yourself could be causing the problem.
Our mindsets are exclusive. As “important” as others are, there’s nothing wrong with including yourself as a member of that category. Most of us would fail to include ourselves on a list of people for whom we are most grateful. Most of us would exclude ourselves from a list of people we admire. But you don’t have to exclude yourself from the list of those you admire, those you find talented and beautiful, or those you respect and love the most. You can be more inclusive of yourself without being egotistical.
You may be living on the fringe of your own perceptions. When we ignore and outcast ourselves, we fail to recognize ourselves as respectable individuals, worthy of our own praise, encouragement, and love. Outcasting yourself can cause self-suffering. Think of how you have felt when others have outcast you. It’s easy to spot talent, strengths, and gifts in others; but if you don’t see and celebrate those qualities in yourself, you’re blind. You’re blind because you’ve put yourself out to pasture, never attending to that individual who is “out there,” alone in the wilderness of rejection. It might be time to zoom out a bit, and to include yourself into your batch of friends and loved ones. Hover over your head, and see that person sitting there below – a really amazing being, full of life, bursting with potential, and waiting to be included. Yes, that’s you. Have you backed up enough to even notice them? It might be time to welcome them into your circle of love.