The Flowering of Our Consciousness

Abuse. Neglect. Betrayal. Abandonment. Rejection. Criticism. Trauma can distort the way we view ourselves and perceive the world around us. These experiences were out of our control, and yet they can have a lasting impact on our psyche that spans years, decades, and even lifetimes. The seeds of self-doubt become sown deep inside our minds and hold us back from being able to express our true selves to the fullest. The belief that we are not good enough breeds an insidious fear within us that our perceived inadequacies will become revealed when we choose to step into our power. So instead, we hide in the false sense of safety that inaction, mediocrity, and complacency offer us. It is the most profound tragedy when we are unable to fully recognize our light because of the injuries caused by another.  We will not be fulfilled by endlessly striving for greatness while simultaneously carrying the burden of self-doubt. We must take a leap of faith off the endless treadmill of lack and limitation and stop chasing after our self-worth in the external world. A complete paradigm shift needs to occur in which we can view our past from an expanded perspective. We must come to realize that our experiences never had any bearing on our self-worth to begin with. Our adversity challenges us to come into recognition of our inherent wholeness and the indestructible, infinite nature of our spirit. The fog clouding our self-perception will then begin to dissipate, opening up the opportunity for us to finally see ourselves in a more accurate light, illuminating who we were all along-- brilliant and powerful beings capable of awakening the world. A shift needs to occur from the mindset in which our self-worth is conditioned upon external validation. We must stop the line of thinking that "X has to happen in order for me to prove my worth." It is a never-ending black hole breeding painful inadequacy. Instead, let us recognize our wholeness in this present moment: "I am worthy, and it is from this place of wholeness that I choose to express myself." Right here and right now, we are gifted, brilliant, beautiful, and intelligent. There is nothing that has to happen for us to become these things at some indefinite time in the future. When we give ourselves the permission to embody the greatness of who we already are in the present moment, magic happens. We bear witness to the magnificent flowering of our consciousness.