Walking to school in the cold today I saw a man riding his bike. His braving the cold made me feel LESS brave for doing it. Later that morning I mentally scoffed seeing my co-worker do such a good job.
Why do I feel so threatened by other people’s successes?
I hope it’s an ingrained mental habit rather than my natural state—because it feels so negative and icky. Yet this sentiment also feels so natural.
Why?
I’ve learned in mindfulness courses that physicality is limited whereas spirituality is abundant. That others successes in no way impair our own—but I have yet to internalize this.
This morning passing the biker on the street I thought to myself, “This man is living out his purpose, doing what feels right, doing what he was put on this earth to do, just like I am.”
G-d is infinite. And so too each of, a reflection of G-d, can reach great heights of self-actualization. And one’s person success does not detract from another’s. We are all fulfilling our individual G-d given purposes.
It’s a grand idea—challenging to absorb. And I’m still working on accepting this, even though deep down I know it to be true.
Mindful Nuggets 