When it comes to motivation, I don’t believe guilt is inspiring. In fact, if anything, it can be kind of immobilizing. Sure, it may come in handy for making course corrections after big-ticket indiscretion but in terms of day-to-day self talk, guilt is toxic and burdensome. And yet most of us are committed to strapping it on each day, carrying it with us wherever we go and inviting it into any endeavor we undertake. I think that we can allay some of our guilt by giving ourselves credit for taking part in the journey of life and the process of improvement. Our quick-paced culture has very little patience for anything long-term so when it comes to personal development or spirituality, it may seem that our progress is excruciatingly slow. As a result, we may have a hard time exercising compassion with ourselves for what turns out to be very normal and timely development. Here’s an idea on how to add a little personal patience to your day:
Instead of saying: “I have never been good at __________” (although I have already told you how I feel about the word never), “I am not good at______” or “You’re so good at __________ and I’m just not,” say instead “I am still learning to__________” or “I am practicing _________”
It’s so important to remember that individual development is supposed to last a lifetime. That’s the idea. So next time your shortcomings seem to be swallowing you up, try to put them in context and remember you’re living just one moment out of many in your life. And most of your moments are probably pretty good so think about the beauty in you, build on that goodness and feel confidence in the process of personal progression.
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