I still have a problem with this one. Even overcoming my years of perfectionist behavior, I am still never quite good enough just as I am. I often find myself envious of other’s success, even though I shouldn’t be, and belittling my own achievements. As much as I’ve done politically to see the events of the last two years happen, it’s hard to feel I did much to contribute to it when so many did so much more than I did. And yes, it’s hard to get rid of the cynicism hangover from the last eight years…
I’m Not Cinderella: The Split in the Soul of the Accidental Entrepreneur.
The greatest work of all is to show up each day willing to not be “there” yet. So long as we believe we should be better than we are, we will be blind to our own light and resentful of the light of others.
Our greatest error is to interpret failure to be present as evidence that we are irredeemably flawed. There is no way back to ourselves and to each other that does not begin with compassionate awareness that we’ve once again lost our way.
When Obama was elected, I vowed to abandon cynicism. Today I see that I need help from you to do this. What’s more I finally get that that’s a good thing.
4 Responses
Donna, lots of people worked hard for the last few years to bring about change and elect Barack Obama president of the United States. You may only have been one person but however small your individual role may have been, it was as vital as anyone’s. Give yourself a little appreciation and respect, you deserve it.
Thanks, Mahakal. The thing is I know that, but don’t always feel it. It’s like having two great kids and still feeling like I have failed them as a parent or having a 25 year marriage but still sometimes feeling like a failure as a wife, or having worked much of my life but still feeling like a failure since I’m not working right now. Logically it makes no sense, but emotionally the little voices eat at you in your head. All very silly, but there it is…
I’d recommend yoga and/or meditation, it helps me keep a proper focus.
Yup, need to get back to my yoga again, that’s for sure!