People regularly come into my office saying to me, “I just want to be better.” Now that’s an honest statement – of course you do! I’ve never heard someone say they’d like to fail of that they want to be worse. That’s not something that any of us aspire to. The human imperative is to improve, develop and yes: evolve.
The ego’s imperative, however, is one of 2 things: either to point out our failings, flaws and weaknesses or to create a heightened sense of self worth and importance. Most of the people I come into contact with are in the first group. And the challenge with these people is that fundamentally, to get better, you must first acknowledge that you are good.
This is an uncomfortable prospect for most of us. We are groomed by society and well-meaning (or maybe not) family to be humble, to remember that pride is a deadly sin. Add to that your ego – which is your constant companion – who always there to remind you of your lack, and it makes acknowledging where we’ve done well, or where we are good quite a task.
It is my belief that we as a species are inherently good. Fundamentally, at our core, we are holy and sacred children of the Creator, and as such we are good. So to get better, you must acknowledge first that you are good. Remember – thoughts are things, and because you acknowledge where you are good, you will find more evidence, more places in which you are good.
And that, my friend, is where healing – where getting better – begins.