Low self-esteem plagues people from EVERY walk of life. It is not your social 'category' or educational level that determine whether or not your self-esteem is healthy. I used to think that I was the only one walking around feeling like I was 'not enough'.
It was this illusion that drove me to 'over achieve'. I was never able to enjoy my achievements. It did help me to develop the drive and motivation that I needed in those days, but eventually it became self-destructive as all beliefs that are belittling to your essence or sense of self do.
I used to think that people who I thought were born into certain families or had acquired a certain social status was immune to this feeling of 'not enough'. As I embarked upon the journey to face this illusion and heal it, I soon discovered that it is beyond just being an epidemic; it is probably one of the widest held beliefs around today.
It crosses all religious, economic, racial and social boundaries as well. An interesting example of this is from an interview I read between Maria Shriver and Oprah a few months back. Maria (of the Kennedy family fame married to Arnold Schwarzenegger) has a new book out that I still have to get to, that discusses her personal journey to empowerment.
Here is a woman who on the surface, surely 'has it all' - fame, social standing, family name, wealth, career, children (if that is important to you), super successful husband, attractive....the list goes on. Yet, she struggled, according to the interview, with the same issue I did at one time; she felt she was 'not enough or not good enough'.
Amazing.
See how we are making this stuff about ourselves up? Let me ask you, how much is 'enough'? The problem is, when you feel this way, there is not enough of (you fill in the blank) anything to give you lasting peace.
If you believe there is something fundamentally lacking in YOU, it's all over. You can never find true, lasting peace or contentment. Let me tell you, advertisers know this. This is why we, especially women, are so susceptible to all of that false advertising out there that promises eternal youth or whatever is the flavor of the month.
It is actually possible to heal this illusion however. I believe though, the piece that is 'missing' is at a spiritual level. We are mind, body and Spirit, not just physical. In our focus on the material world, 'out there', we forget about out interior world, and this is the key. Wholeness is the goal.
Seeking the approval of others without approving of yourself first is a negative bottomless pit. When you feel that you are 'OK", life takes on a whole new meaning. This is where Neuroscience and spirituality are so crucial to understanding how you came to believe false perceptions, how to change and what your true identity is.
While it is generally a process, I can say the sense of well-being and empowerment it brings is more than worth the effort. It works for me, and if what you are doing is giving you all the inner peace and outer abundance that life has to offer, then stay where you are. You can keep your belief and I can keep mine.
I just know that if everyone's system of belief about who they are were positive and productive, there would not be so much suffering and depression in our country and on the planet today.
I am enough - just because, I AM!
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