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It's hard to accept that you can be your own worst enemy.
In fact, this realization is so painful
that we go to great lengths to prove otherwise.
It's always fate, circumstances, or lousy luck
that messes up our best-laid plans...
[there is always someone else to blame.]
[Your authentic self has an evil twin:]
the ego...
The ego has everything to lose
once your authentic self grows strong enough
to act consciously on your behalf,
guiding your creative choices, decisions, ambitions,
and actions for your Highest Good.
What was standard operating procedure before
- denial, sublimation, repression -
is recognized for what it is:
subtle self-abuse.
When you become authentic,
you become greater than you ever thought you could be,
and this greatness allows you to
heal yourself, your family, and your world.
Your authentic self is your ego's worst nightmare,
and the ego will do everything in its power
to eliminate her rival's influence from your daily round.
The way the ego goes about this is to bring out the heavy guns:
fear and intimidation.
Fear has derailed more dreams than we can ever know.
Physical distress
- a racing heart, pounding head, nervous stomach -
is the first assault when we edge
to the perimeter of our comfort zone.
It's a natural, primordial instinct,
a remnant of the fight-or-flight syndrome.
But although it may feel excruciating,
making a telephone call, speaking up...
is not the same as fighting off the charge of a woolly mammoth.
We don't have to run scared.
We DO have to learn to recognize
the physical manifestations of fear and acknowledge them.
The next time you're physically sick
at the thought of leaving your comfort zone,
calmly reassure your conscious self that the feeling of fear
is passing through you and will dissipate
as long as you keep on moving forward.
Many actresses are so scared that they feel nauseous
just before walking on stage,
but they've learned how to transform fear
into the creative energy of forward motion.
They burst through to the other side of stage fright
to applause.
Intimidation works differently from naked fear.
She's a shape changer,
capable of adopting different guises to control you.
The moment you step bravely out
from the bounds of your comfort zone,
she's likely to rise up inside you like a lion tamer,
complete with whip and chair.
"Get back!" she'll scream.
"Who do you think you are?
You'll make a fool of yourself!
You're risking your marriage!
You're neglecting your children!
Get back to your cage immediately!"
capable of adopting different guises to control you.
The moment you step bravely out
from the bounds of your comfort zone,
she's likely to rise up inside you like a lion tamer,
complete with whip and chair.
"Get back!" she'll scream.
"Who do you think you are?
You'll make a fool of yourself!
You're risking your marriage!
You're neglecting your children!
Get back to your cage immediately!"
When these scare tactics are no longer effective,
intimidation often takes another shape,
as the voice of reason.
intimidation often takes another shape,
as the voice of reason.
"Look, I don't want to alarm you but...
You know you've taken on quite a lot,
I wouldn't if I were you..."
You know you've taken on quite a lot,
I wouldn't if I were you..."
The worst thing about intimidation is that
she knows all our buttons and just when to push them.
she knows all our buttons and just when to push them.
But if she doesn't succeed with scare tactics,
she'll kill your dreams with kindness.
She's your best friend:
she'll enable you to dig your own creative grave
by handing you the shovel.
She's the only one who knows how tired you really are,
so she'll encourage you to take a nap
instead of writing prospecting letters.
She understands that you just don't have much time for relaxation,
so what's the harm of catching a soap opera in the early afternoon
instead of working on your resume
before the kids come home from school?
Relax, she tells you, "You've got plenty of time...
If it doesn't get taken care of today, there's always tomorrow..."
she'll kill your dreams with kindness.
She's your best friend:
she'll enable you to dig your own creative grave
by handing you the shovel.
She's the only one who knows how tired you really are,
so she'll encourage you to take a nap
instead of writing prospecting letters.
She understands that you just don't have much time for relaxation,
so what's the harm of catching a soap opera in the early afternoon
instead of working on your resume
before the kids come home from school?
Relax, she tells you, "You've got plenty of time...
If it doesn't get taken care of today, there's always tomorrow..."
If none of the above works because now
you're older, wiser, and more experienced,
she'll begin a whispering campaign,
sounding very similar to your intuitive voice.
How will you know the difference?
If the suggestion you hear doesn't bring a sense of peace,
it is NOT the voice of your authentic self.
It's the ego in one of her many guises.
you're older, wiser, and more experienced,
she'll begin a whispering campaign,
sounding very similar to your intuitive voice.
How will you know the difference?
If the suggestion you hear doesn't bring a sense of peace,
it is NOT the voice of your authentic self.
It's the ego in one of her many guises.
Tell her to shut up.
Today, just begin observing your behavior pattern...
One significant quality found in the women we admire
is that they have identified their personal patterns of self-sabotage
and learned to let their own best friend - their authentic self -
outsmart the enemy within.
And so can you.
One significant quality found in the women we admire
is that they have identified their personal patterns of self-sabotage
and learned to let their own best friend - their authentic self -
outsmart the enemy within.
And so can you.
End Quote
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Gratitude Journal
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Gratitude Journal
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1) So what I thought was just a cold virus turned out to be hand foot and mouth! All of a sudden there were sores everywhere, and I was like where did those come from?! We went to the doctor to confirm. All three have it at the same time. And that's a blessing. Better to get it all over in a week than to have one get it right after the other and have this go on for a month.
2) Everyone who has offered to help. Thank you so much! If I need anything, I promise I'll call you.
3) I'm not sick. Not yet anyways. I feel like I'm going to throw up...
4) We're on day three of this virus, so it's almost halfway over!
5) TV. Did you know you can watch all three books of Avatar the Last Airbender in three days?
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