So What??

So what if your manager didn't praise you for how well you did on that project? So what if your child is not a straight A student? So what if you don't have a brand new car like your neighbor? So what if you are 30 and have not conquered the world yet? So what if you are in debt? Should you feel unworthy, inadequate or ashamed? Of course not! I say, So What? You try it. So what??

Think about why these things bother you so much. Are you worried about what people think? Do you think someone else is getting an edge up on you? Do you think you are missing something? Do you worry that you will be left behind? Are you worried about losing something that defines you? Are you scared to fail? Scared to succeed? Scared that it's too late???

As long as you believe that someone or something outside of yourself can deny your good, you are not ready to have it.

When you make your happiness dependent on a particular turn of events, this is a sure way to lead yourself right into disappointment and stress. People will not always praise you, uplift you, or even notice you when you wish they would. Circumstances change without warning, and challenges may seem to appear every time you are ready to move forward, blocking you from carrying out your plans. When the resulting anger, frustration and fear build up, we often want to look outward to assign blame.

Life is a mystery that we must unravel at our own pace and in our own way. If you allow the external things that you see to determine how you feel about your life, peace will continue to elude you. If you focus all of your attention on the center of your being and ask yourself "What is it that I must learn?" The answers will come.

You are on a journey of love and discovery - not a race to the finish. The truth is that while you are walking along in this life, leaving your footprints here and there, acquiring things and losing things, making strides and losing your footing - so is everyone else. There is no finish line or final exam. It's self-defeating to compare yourself or to try and prove yourself to anyone because your journey is beautifully yours and yours alone. So, there.

P.S. In addition to asking yourself "What is it I must learn?", it is also important to ask yourself "What is it I must wear while I'm learning it?" Or maybe that's just me.