Over the past several weeks, I cannot lie–I have been (for lack of a better word) awestruck by all the accusations coming forward regarding inappropriate sexual advances at many levels–from politics, Hollywood, news media, to the business world, etc. The enlightenment for me is the reality of how much it has sadly permeated so many lives. And according to news sources–this is only the beginning of what has been termed “the tsunami” yet to come.
The common theme seems to be power and/or control over the less powerful–bottom line–out-of- balance egos. Therefore, the timing seems appropriate for a closer look into this ego deal–for all of us to learn how to strike a better mind, body and spiritual balance.
The Ego Conundrum
We all have one–ego that is. Some of ours are bigger than others, some are more realistic. We are born free of one, yet as we develop in our childhood, we grow one quickly. In fact, those “terrific twos” rear their fascinating little heads even before the age of two–typically with some attitude and the frequent words of “mine” and “no”. And as time evolves, we rarely set our egos aside for others, but expect others to set theirs aside for ours.
In actuality, an ego is valuable–it gives us our sense of self-esteem or self-importance. Ego typically drives our physical appearance and our mental state and it is the source of much of our material success. Our ego gets us through the day, successfully creating confidence where uncertainty might lurk, setting us higher on our own little pedestal of success and cementing our importance in daily life.
It’s when the ego convinces us that we are more important, always needed, and a bit better than others at what we do that our balance is challenged. Getting our ego in check can quite possibly be the most beneficial action we can take to finding more balance in our lives.
A curious question: Could testosterone be part of the cultrip behind most of these male-driven allegations (oh my, did I write that out loud)?
Finding More Balance Through Humility
Irregardless of the cause–could humility prove to be a valuable spiritual practice for all of us?
Interestingly enough, when I meet someone who radiates humility, my shoulders relax, my heart beats a little more quietly, and something inside me lets go.
Why? Because I know that I’m being fully seen, heard, and accepted for who I am, warts and all–a precious and rare gift that allows our protective walls to come down.
Truly humble people are able to offer this kind of gift to us because they see and accept their own strengths and limitations without defensiveness or judgment–a characteristic that cultivates a powerful compassion for humanity.
This kind of self-acceptance emerges from grounding one’s worth as a result of our true value as human beings rather than things such as six-figure salaries, the body of a movie star, climbing the corporate ladder or the number of friends on Facebook. Instead, humble people place high value on more meaningful things that benefit others.
They also see life as a school, recognizing that while none of us is perfect, we can, without negatively impacting our self-esteem, work on our limitations by being open to new ideas, advice, and criticism.
What a gift this could be for upcoming generations and all of our relationships when we pay these beautiful traits forward!
“Know that at any moment in your life, you have the choice. You can either be a host to God, or a hostage to your ego. It’s your call. Stay inspired [in spirit]” – Wayne Dyer
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Progress–not perfection Warriors and in the process, let’s be gentle with ourselves.