Monday, May 2, 2016

Seeing Yourself in a Better Light


I have a belief that goes like this, “The way you see the world, is actually the way you are seeing yourself.”

People who see the world as a beautiful place tend to feel the same way about themselves. While those who think that the world is ugly and sad, have most likely felt this way about themselves first.

My belief on this matter leads me to conclude that if we want to see the world in a better light, we have to see ourselves that way first.

At first glance this observation may seem like one of my random thoughts; the ones on my bucket list of research questions.

But this is a big one. It’s where psychology meets sociology; where the self meets the collective and the “I” becomes the “We.”

The big question becomes this, “How do we see ourselves in a better light?

How do you begin to believe that you are a beautiful being, divinely made for a divine purpose?
 Too deep?

Okay, then how do you begin to see yourself as a good person deserving of a better life?

I’d like you to begin the work of stripping away. Strip away the trappings of life. Pull back the stuff that you don’t just have; it has you and you are beholden to it.

Then pull back the layers of wants (you know, the things we confuse as needs.)

I’d like you to reevaluate your belief that you are not worthy, not good enough, not saved enough, not beautiful.

You are not the car you drive, the house you live in, the family you’ve come from, your religion or your job. You are light.

We are all connected and related. I don’t need to diminish you to feel better about me.
When you shine, I glow.

When I love my work, my family, my community and everyone I encounter, I become more beautiful---and so does the world.

That’s it. It sounds really simple, but I’m coming to see that as I take responsibility for my own 
missteps and mistakes, I can see that I am human and prone to them. For this, the angels are envious.

As I recognize the humanity of even my shortcomings, I can see the humanity of others. And then I know, that we are all connected.

Be well, be you, be seeing.

Bertice Berry, PhD.



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