When to make it all about you

I've taken some flack for the work I put into myself as I make my way along this journey of self-discovery. I've been told it should be less about me and more about others; that I'm selfish. I disagree. There are times where you really need to make it all about you and there are times when you really should put others first. The difference lies in if what you're about to do is for the purpose of your ego or for your Soul/Essence/True Self. For example, if you decide to run a stop sign just so you can get in front of a line of traffic, only to then turn 1/4 mile down the road - you're catering to your ego. There is no thought for the others in traffic - whom you have now just slowed down - only your need to hurry up, get ahead and put yourself first. That's the Ego: me, me, me. Now, let's say you have a ton of responsibilities that are demanding your time, yet you go out for an hour or so to walk in Nature. You're taking the time to decompress and reset your rhythms so you can go about the rest of your day without the threat of burn-out looming over you. That's self-care and looking out for the "I."

There is nothing selfish about walking your spiritual journey. There is nothing selfish about taking care of yourself and giving precedence to your relationship with your Soul. The most important thing we can do is get to know who we truly are, to break down the falsehoods of the ego and stop living as how others have defined us . As we connect to our Real 'Self' - we begin to live out the compassion and love we truly are. We begin to see others with different eyes. We begin to act instead of react. The ego is all about reacting - it thrives on emotional triggers and playing out drama.

If it's all about your ego - put others first. If it's about your Soul connection - put that first, every time. There's a Zen proverb that I love: You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you're too busy, then you should sit for an hour.  This world is in the state it is because we're letting our egos run the show. Imagine if we all worked on our Soul connection and lived in the truth of who we really are - it would be a much different reality. I encourage everyone to take the time to quiet the mind and connect to your real Essence. Take some time each day to consciously breathe, reflect and connect. It's a life changer!

Much Love, Adrienne :)