The Wisdom Within Us All
Have you ever met someone who was wonderful at giving heartfelt advice, but also struggled with finding their own happiness?
There are so many wise sayings we hear that go unapplied. We are able to tell a friend who is hurting what that advice is, but it becomes difficult to apply that very same advice to our own lives. We sometimes get labeled as a hypocrite (or we label ourselves as a fraud) because we can say what is best, but we cannot live what is best. This struggle is one we all face because none of us are perfect.
Applying wisdom and simply knowing a wise piece of advice are very different. We hope our friend will accept our advice because we love that person and we don’t want to see them hurt. When it comes to ourselves, however, we endure pain and suffering that we wouldn’t wish on anyone. We tell ourselves that our situation is much more complicated or much more difficult, but the truth usually lies — not within our circumstances — but within ourselves.
Do you love yourself enough to raise your standards? Do you value your worth enough to trust that there is better for you out there? Are you confident enough in what you have to offer that you will take a risk? Can you trust that a “no” is often what’s necessary to save you from wasting time on something that’s not meant for you? Do you believe in yourself enough to know you have what it takes to create a new reality in which you can be happy?
The truth is that we are all wise, but not all of us love ourselves enough to believe that the wisdom that’s been passed down to us is worth applying. Oftentimes, we’re hurting on the inside and we know that changing our circumstances will not automatically result in happiness. It will be a process. This process will require bravery, and it will require introspection. Some of the things we discover about ourselves may be difficult to accept. With enough self-compassion, we will absolutely emerge from the other side of our journey with gratitude that we loved ourselves enough to face the challenge.
Some of us know what we want from love, but we scarcely consider the needs of others. Some of us know exactly how to give love, but we do not value our own needs enough to prioritize what will lead to us also feeling loved. The balance of life becomes much easier when we accept that (1) we are not perfect and (2) neither is anyone else. Being able to accept our flaws and limitations while also having compassion on others for not being perfect is a recipe that opens conversations about how we can heal and allow happiness in. Life is about loving ourselves and others through that process.
If you’re someone who finds it difficult to apply wisdom to your own life, take a moment to evaluate your beliefs about yourself. Discover whether you believe that you deserve love and happiness. Discover whether you’re sabotaging your happiness by placing a low worth on yourself. Discover whether you’re sabotaging your happiness by placing a low worth on others. Discover what that balance would look like if you become more open to learning about yourself even if it is painful.
Somewhere within each of us is a child that has gone unheard and unloved. Only you can nurture, heal, and love that inner child. Calm the child’s fears. Reassure the child that everything will be okay. Affirm to the child that they matter. Remind the child that there is always a healthy way to get their needs met. If you and your inner child don’t know what that healthy method is, then be willing to adventure with your inner child to learn healthier ways of coping, engaging, giving, and receiving. Once you master loving your own inner child, then you can begin to also love and nurture the inner child of those around you.
Remember to have patience with yourself as you journey through life and develop self-compassion for all of your human experiences and thoughts. If you’d like guidance through this process, as always, I am here to help via personalized coaching on inner child healing and introspection. This journey doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Discovering your worth can be a liberating experience as you go inward to allow space for compassion and joy.
With love,
Tracey Knows
