Personal and spiritual growth is important for each and every one of us. Our journeys may be different but we all ultimately seek fulfilment. While there will be a lot of people telling you the obvious, like ‘focus on the positive’ or ‘don’t underestimate your yourself’, I have found throughout my journey that ultimately there are 3 major things that can stop you from living your best life. That is not to say that focusing on the positives or believing in yourself is not important. It really really is. However, from my own experience I have noticed that once I was aware and started working on these 3 aspects of my life, I grew immensely as a human-being.
These are the 3 major things that are hindering your spiritual growth and stopping your from living your best life.
1. COMPARISON
Comparison is your biggest enemy when it comes to personal and spiritual growth. It stops you from trying, from believing in your uniqueness, and focusing on your own journey. In essence, it literally stops you from living your best life.
I feel very passionately about this topic and have a separate blog post written just on how to stop comparing yourself to others. If you take comparison out of the equation, life suddenly becomes so much easier. Jealousy, feeling small or not enough are often fueled by comparison. And I do believe that even the most confident people sometimes silently compare themselves to others which is the biggest reason for doubt. The key here is to be aware of it when that happens.
People unconsciously or consciously compare themselves to other people every day. This is especially prominent in today’s world where we can access the polished version of another person’s life. Always approach social media with caution and choose your content wisely.
COMPARISON VS. INSPIRATION
There is absolutely no harm in getting inspired by other people. In fact, I believe that this is one of the gifts that we can share with the world. However, there is a very fine line between admiring somebody and comparing yourself to that person. Healthy admiration cultivates healthy inspiration and motivation. The moment you start comparing yourself to somebody, you start focusing on your flaws or in some cases, that person’s flaws. Comparing things always leads to ultimately deciding which option is better which shouldn’t be our goal.
Remember that you can ALWAYS learn from others but stop yourself from comparing your looks, skills, possessions, and relationships with other people. Every person’s life is different, we are fighting our own battles and facing our own challenges. Focus on your journey.
Additionally, I want to remind you that something that you consider to be a flaw, can become your greatest strength. For example, let’s say that you suffer from acne and are constantly comparing your skin to other people’s skin. By the way, I’ve been there, so I do know how it feels first hand. This can ultimately become your greatest strength and even a business opportunity. Just look at all of the people who built their Youtube channels talking about their skin journey. Others become beauty aestheticians and help other people deal with various skin conditions.
2. NEGATING YOUR SHADOW SIDE
Nobody likes to talk about their negative traits or unpleasant past experiences, however, when ignored, they scream louder. It’s important for us to acknowledge our shadow side because it ultimately gives us control over it. How are you supposed to approach it if you don’t acknowledge it? Moreover, acknowledging your shadow self is truly empowering as it removes the mask that you have been wearing even with yourself. Shadow work is very important in this case. It can seem very daunting and lonely when going through this process, but in the end, it’s very rewarding.
Again, just like with comparing yourself to others, your shadow qualities can become your greatest strength. When you learn to work with them, not against them, it suddenly becomes easier to tackle various challenges that come in. Acknowledging, admitting and surrendering your shadow qualities free you from the little prison you have created for yourself.
Shadow work is extremely important for spiritual growth as well. A lot of the superficial or surface-level ideas that emerge from the New Age spirituality are toxic as they negate the importance of mindfully working through your issues. Working through past or present trauma and experiences is a freeing process that ultimately brings you closer to the Divine. It also removes blockages or helps you understand your limiting beliefs that are stopping you from living your best life.
3. ASSUMPTIONS
One of the biggest things that is hindering your spiritual growth and stopping you from living your best life is ‘assumption’. I don’t think that many people realize how much it actually influences our day-to-day lives. Whenever you assume, you basically draw the conclusions yourself. However, sometimes our conclusions are far from the truth. And this is true in so many cases. You assume that somebody feels a certain way. You assume that you are not going to get that job position because you don’t have the needed experience. You assume that something is not going to work out before even trying. You assume things about people, places, opportunities.
Assumption leads to misunderstandings and missed opportunities. Misunderstandings sometimes lead to broken relationships and missed opportunities lead to.. well, missed opportunities.
While assumption is something that our brain does naturally, try not to fall victim to it. Instead of assuming and going with that, talk to people, clarify. Whether that would be a romantic or work relationship, use communication because I can assure you that this will help you avoid fights and mistakes. Instead of assuming, always try, don’t miss out.
I hope that this blog post has brought you great insight and inspired you to be aware of certain situations that you weren’t aware of before. Remember, we are all fighting our own battles but our ultimate goal is the same which is fulfilment. Focus on your journey, communicate and acknowledge your shadow self. Don’t be afraid to let go of control because that actually puts the control back into your hands.
Live your best life and don’t let the above hinder your spiritual growth.
Namaste. I am proud of you.
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