Words of straight wisdom from our girl Byron Katie! She is really such a great personal growth and development teacher, and we just love the fact that she didn’t start down her own personal development path until her 40’s – proving to us all that we’re never too old and there’s no boat to miss! This path of self-discovery, enlightenment and empowerment will always be open to ALL – and it’s never too late to start!
Byron’s philosophies include doing your best to always tell what is closest to the truth…which means that when we’re thinking about whether someone else likes us or not – that thought process does not exist with the other person (in fact, it only exists inside our own brains) – thus making it our mere interpretation of what we THINK people are thinking about us (based on the way we are reading their cues within our own biased minds)! The problem with this internal interpretation and judgement is that it is NOT the truth, and instead works as a self-sabotaging trap we often find ourselves stuck in.
You know, when you JUST KNOW that someone doesn’t like you? (Even when you have never talked to them about it, heard it, or learned it with your own ears whatsoever)! This thought process is both one-sided (only exists within your own mind), AND one-dimensional (because, hey! We don’t like anyone ALL the time anyways!)…Especially the ones we’re stuck with during this quarantine! 😉
If we get lost in the lies of our own mind (and start to believe what we are saying to ourselves about how other people are judging us), we can find ourselves caught in unnecessary stress over it, and ultimately lead ourselves down a path that isn’t fulfilling, fun, or happy! And, if you’re always thinking about how you can get someone else to like you (based on the mere perception that they don’t) – you may just lose your AUTHENTIC self along the way!
In order to turn this around, Byron suggests that – whenever we get ourselves into thinking someone doesn’t like us – we turn that thought around and place another subject in that narrative instead – thus turning “They don’t like me” into “I don’t like me.” Because, just as the quote reveals, it’s a full-time JOB to like yourself! What does that mean? This means it takes work, time, investment, and effort just to like your OWN dang self! You have to learn what you do like about yourself – then focus on those characteristics – cultivate them – grow them – protect them – set boundaries for them – and, ALL of that is WORK! So – if we are trying to get others to do that job when we can’t even do it ourselves…we’re embarking on a mission bound to fail from the start!
But, there IS some good news! At this very moment in our lives, many of us have nothing BUT time! And, for those of us that do have the time right now, we invite you to seek out this opportunity to get to know yourself, and learn to love yourself – FOR yourself – and no one else! Rid yourself from the lies of your own mind, and arise from this virus-ridden vortex of our era, victorious!
Lend yourself a little love by listening to our mini and motivational, 5 minute podcast episodes here!