Many people use the threat of guilt as a motivator. Some use guilt to keep them playing small and avoid taking risks.
I’ve talked with many people who don’t fully enjoy their life because they feel it would be selfish and they’d feel guilty. Many people even feel guilty just for taking care of themselves – as though good self-care somehow is putting themselves first, which is bad and wrong.
The guilty mind punishes again and again. Self punishment is a strong motivator for many people and it keeps them in a loop, like a hamster on a wheel, repeating a limited and unhappy existence. It is our destiny to live a joyful life and A Course in Miracles is the mind-training to help us get there!
It’s interesting how many people believe they *should feel guilty for taking care of themselves. One of the biggest challenges I see at work in many people’s minds is this belief that it’s better to give than to receive. How could that be true when there is only one? It’s insanity. The only place to give to is Spirit and the only place to receive from is Spirit, how could giving be better than receiving? It’s so important and valuable and healing and nourishing to be receptive to Spirit’s guidance and flow of Love. Without that we wither and die, literally!
The ego thought system is diabolically oppositional to itself. The ego believes that taking care of yourself is selfish, which is bad and wrong. The ego believes that we’re supposed to give and give and give and give in order to get the Love, approval, attention and affection that we want and need. We end up believing that we have to give and give and give in order to earn Love, thereby reinforcing the idea that we’re separate from Love.
The ego believes that others are selfish, bad and wrong if they don’t appreciate all that we’re giving to them. They should reciprocate by giving us everything that we need. It’s all lunacy. Time for a healing!
When we don’t take good care of ourselves, when we over-give and give in order to get something back, then we’re going to feel depleted and it’s not because someone made us or we did it for someone else. Over-giving to depletion is a choice that is a form of self-sabotage and it’s time for us to let it go! We over-give because we believe in lack. Over-giving is an affirmation of lack.
Spiritual students often believe that suffering and martyrdom are somehow holy. Suffering and martyrdom are the OPPOSITE of holy. Suffering and martyrdom are pure ego.
It’s our responsibility to take good care of ourselves and keep our wellspring of energy, radiance and luminousity full. There are no extra points for running on empty. No one can do this for us – this is ours to do. If you feel guilty taking good care of yourself consider this: If you live in service to the Light, then everything you do to make sure you are a brightly shining light brings benefit to all. It’s not selfish to take good care of yourself, it’s another act of service to the Light!
What can you do today to care for yourself with excellence?
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RADIO SHOW TODAY: On my radio show today my topic is Cultivating A Guiltless Mind. You can listen in LIVE on my radio show – click here for details – or you can click here to get the download later at iTunes or Stitcher for Androids. All the previous episodes are free at iTunes right now! You can subscribe to the podcast and get the show every week automatically. On your phone, iPod, or computer. Check it out! And if you enjoy the radio show, will you please write a review so more people find the show? Thank you!
