Full credit for the concept of this post goes to one of my favorite mentors – James Arthur Ray. Since my introduction to him during the movieThe Secret, I have found his teachings to be as powerful as they are timeless, and I am going to extrapolate on some of his wisdom here.
The problem begins with the very basic fact that as human beings, we want “stuff”. That stuff may take the form of material goods and riches, it may take the form of satisfying relationships, or it may simply be a desire for a perfect level of health or spirituality.
Whatever your personal desires are, there is some “stuff” that you want. In fact, you are probably focusing on and working towards getting some of your stuff right now. Since you are reading a blog about self empowerment and self improvement, my sincere desire is that your search for stuff is going very well and that you are manifesting lots of great loot!
However, if you aren’t meeting with the success that you desire, or, if you just want to continue on the successful path that you are on, I ask you to consider the following:
Which of the following things is more important? 1) The stuff that you are working so diligently towards gathering up. 2) Who you are on the inside.
Sorry to pop this quiz on you unexpectedly, but the right answer is, of course, who you are on the inside.
Why is that so important? Quite simply because who you are on the inside is not determined by the jeweled shell that you are trying to build on the outside!
Take a minute to think about this with 3 quick examples: Relationships, Money, Spirituality.
Whenever you get involved in a relationship, what are YOU bringing to the relationship? You are bringing yourself, and all that comes with all that you are. However, do you NEED your partner in order to be complete?
Of course not! You are who you are regardless of what relationship you are involved in. If you need your partner to “complete” you, then your inner self needs some work, and that has nothing to do with your partner.
Someone once said that if people who are really close – so-called “soul mates” – are so close that they consider themselves to be 2 people sharing one existence, then what you end up with is 2 half people…
I don’t know about you, but I’ll keep my “me” just as it is, please and thank you, although I am more than willing to share what I have to offer with others.
Money merely amplifies who you already are. If you are a saint who wins the lottery, then you’ll just be a rich saint. If you’re a jerk who wins the lottery, then you’ll be a rich jerk.
Money does not make you who you are! However, by having enough money you have more opportunities to be who you already are. You can’t spend your life sitting around and saying “Once I am rich I will….”
This may sound like esoteric B.S., but the truth of the matter is that as you become a rich person on the INSIDE, then you will attract the material riches that you have been chasing for so long to adorn your outside.
This one is a little tricky because the term “spirituality” means different things to different people. However, for the purpose of this discussion, we’ll define spirituality as that which gives you strength.
For some people that will be their religious beliefs. For others it will be their intellect or their wisdom and experience. For some people, spirituality is determined by following what they believe their “path” in life is.
No matter how you personally define spirituality, you are now – and you always will be – the only person who ever knows if you are truly following your spiritual path.
Going to church does not constitute spirituality if you don’t believe, and if you are just going through the motions. Getting an education to raise your IQ doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t plan to actually use your knowledge in a pursuit that you will enjoy. Following your chosen path in life can be a waste of time if you don’t truly believe – in your heart of hearts – that it really is the path that you WANT to be on.
So, using the above illustrations as an outline, I would now ask you to think again about whether or not who you are on the outside – your jeweled shell – is more important than who you are on the inside.
Finding a perfect partner doesn’t mean squat if you “need” that person, or if you aren’t bringing yourself into that relationship as a quality person who has a lot to offer.
Getting rich is an irrelevant concept if you don’t know how to BE rich, and all you are going to do is continue to perpetuate the same bad habits that have led your life to negative destinations in the past.
Being a highly spiritual person defined as how many times other people see you practice your religion, or how many times you show up for your classes doesn’t mean anything unless your inner spirituality is singing with joy, hope, and faith.
So, what is the bottom line?
Focus on being the best YOU that you can be. You will then attract everything else that you need in order to build a beautifully jeweled shell on the outside!