When I made a mistake, my peers did not punish me as
you did. When I say something that you think I shouldn't, you judge and condemn
me. When I look at myself in the mirror, you say I’m too fat, too thin, growing
old, and I have wrinkles. I thought you were on my side!
Dear mind, I love you unconditionally, but why can’t
you do the same? I don’t know where you get this idea from that you have to
punish me if I were to make a mistake. I don’t even know what those words old,
thin, fat, wrinkles really mean either.
When we reflect on our thoughts, we notice our minds
have the tendency to speak these words unconsciously. And if we are not
conscious of it, we readily believe what the mind says. We are our own worst
enemy. Sometimes we say things like I’m not good enough, that person is better
than me or hey look I’m getting fat. This mental labelling is happening
unconsciously and flies around in our head. To silence these voices, we do
things like; go shopping, buy more makeup, gossip, use substances, illegal or
legal drugs. We may even engage in dangerous activities such as jumping out of
an aeroplane or climbing the highest mountain. After going through all of that,
we later discover that those voices are still there. So the only option we have
left to silence the voices is to go to our favourite pub and hold a glass of
vodka in one hand and a cigarette in the other. We live in a discontent
civilisation, and we label those kids that can’t sit still as ADD and yet we
are still oblivious to the obvious.
Whatever that we are seeking out there in the world to
silence the voices, we won't find it. Some even seeking approval from friends
and family that they matter or seeking approval from their manager that they
are a good worker, for what purpose? Many people walk through life suffering
from this inferior complex where they can only do things when people around
them give them the approval. Isn’t life more than this? It seems as though we
are trapped in our own prison, although ironically the prison has no lock, we
can walk out anytime we choose, but yet we want to stay.
As I walk down the footpath with our two beautiful
dogs, Gracey and Monty. I reflect upon the life that I have led up to this
point. In my personal experience, I too have been caught up in approval
seeking. I only do things when my coach or my partner gives me the yes signal
until then I wait. As I reflect on my own mind, I notice when I make a mistake
my mind will judge me harshly, I too feel inferior to those that are more
successful than me. Unconsciously I have been comparing myself with others,
through self-reflection and I now come to the realisation that it’s time to
step out of my own prison.
Inside you, you know that there’s something bigger
than all of this. When you lay awake on that comfortable bed at night. That
inner voice that says you can do anything, you are more than this collective
mental conditioning. That’s what it is, the mental labelling that our mind
tells us is no more than just collective mental conditioning that’s been handed
down through generations. You have the power to breakthrough with
self-reflection because self-reflection is the only key to inner
transformation.
To see the insanity in one’s own mind is the beginning
of inner transformation. Become aware of those voices that say you are not good
enough, I need my parents, partner or coach’s approval before I do anything,
I’m too old for this or too young for that. It’s all just collective mental
conditioning that you mechanically repeat without conscious awareness.
Self-reflection will bring you back to the authentic you. Who you truly are,
which can’t be described because whatever that can be described is not who you
are. Take some time to go into nature, feel the breeze, allow your feet to sink
down into the earth.
Breath deeply and observe the voices, don’t judge or
condemn, simply just be a witness and remember inner transformation is the only
way to free your mind from collective mental conditioning and it can only
happen through self-reflection.