Gratitude And My Personal Development – Online Gratitude Journal #11
August 22, 2008 by akemi
Gratitude for my current self and my best self
As I wrote last week, I’m a big fan of Millionaire Mommy Next Door. She is a great role model who has both the practical knowledge and skills in personal finance and business management and the positive mindset that attracts abundant and happy life.
When I read her post in which she says,
if your relationships with others – or yourself – are dysfunctional, you’ll never reach your full abundance potential
I felt so inspired. The whole post is great, but one part especially talked to me:
Compare yourself not to others, but only to your best self.
I know I still have the tendency to compare myself to others – and inevitably to criticize myself and others. But I didn’t know how to stop it. The habit of comparing has been so ingrained in me. Now I see it – I can envision my best self, compare my current self to that best self, and move forward.
My current self is not quite my best self yet, but I know I have the seeds within – otherwise I wouldn’t even think up this best self. So there is no need to be pressured by this image of my best self – it’s a version of me after all, and I’m okay to take time to become my best self.
I seem to find great tips and advice when I just need them. Often, this Gratitude Friday series is about such encounters, and this one is another wonderful one. Thank you.
This is my best self . . .
As I envision today.
- I interact harmoniously with people around me.
Because I know the Universe is infinitely abundant and there is no reason to compete. - I make my living by helping others with my special skills – which means I make money with ease and joy.
- I keep growing spiritually.
- On the physical level, I live in a nice cozy house or townhouse. Still undetermined if I want a house with garden of my own (I love the beauty of a garden. Plus, I can resume my piano lesson if I live in a house.) or if I opt for a care-free living of a townhouse. Oh, and I guess I’ll be with a cute boyfriend.
- My legs will be strong and I can have a long walk. (Currently my left knee is a bit weak.)
My Law of Attraction Dream Money Project, Week 10, $51,200
Gee, this is more than my annual gross income I was making in my last corporate job as admin. I was making mid $40K. Which means I really don’t have much idea what it’s really like to use this much of money– this is getting like a game!
I wonder if I can donate a little gazebo and a garden to a local park. There are probably many people like me who love the beauty of a garden but not in the right space to have one. I’ll donate the plants and the gazebo, and the city can take care of it. I like the old English style garden, like the one in The Secret Garden – with brick wall covered by ivy and big wooden door to make it feel so private. There will be a little fountain, a couple of benches tucked from the meandering walkway. The gazebo wall is covered with climbing roses. . . There will be lots of flowers for all seasons, and let’s not forget white fragrant flowers like jasmine. Oh, it will be so cute, so romantic . . .
And I’m grateful for wild blueberries and blackberries (Can you believe it? They grow wild around here) and the baroque music CD I found while I was reorganizing my stuffs (more on this reorganization later. . .)
What do you find most difficult in personal development?
Hi Akemi – I’m hooked on discovering what you’re going to spend the dream money on each week. It’s growing to a massive amount. Wasn’t the Secret Garden a wonderful book and tv program? It’s one I’d really love to go back and reread.
Akemi, what do I find most difficult about personal development? This is a great question, containing as it does many potential topics about which to write. For me personally, I find the expression of my divinity in relation to others to be most problematic. So many people are vibrating at such low levels, I find it especially difficult to relate to them and still be reminded of their humanity. This, and the fact that I am so intent on creatively expressing the essence of my divinity. I am at a loss as to how to proceed. The melancholy I feel around this issue is sometimes more than I can bear. I do so wish I could grace everyone with my divine presence.
Cath,
The money is getting so big that honestly I’m not sure how long I can continue. . . I warned myself in the beginning . . .
Chris,
You bring up a wonderful point. That has been a challenge for myself, and many clients for my Akashic (soul) Record Reading express the same issue — that they are hesitant to express their divinity and spiritual power while they intuitively know it is best for everyone to do so.
Generally speaking, my approach is to work on my own spiritual growth and let my Light shine while letting others to be themselves. I know this is an overly simplified explanation — maybe I can write a post on this, too. But the basic idea is hiding your Light does no service to others. Of course, this puts you at challenge. So you might want to seek those who are vibrating at high level. One of the objective of this blog is just that — to build an online community of conscious people.
This is an excellent post, Akemi. The best version of myself … I would agree with Chris that this would be expressing my Highest Self into this third-dimensional experience at all times. A pretty tall order, with that pesky ego from time to time engaging with fear or attachment. Still, that’s the state of Being I strive towards.
Chris, when you are your Divinity, I think you actually DO grace everyone not only with your Divine presence, but remind them of their own. Beautiful comment!
Blessings,
Andrea
Hi Andrea,
Yep, the worst enemy of becoming my best self is really me, my ego. In a sense, my best self is already there — if I dare to let it be.
And thank you for following up on Chris’ comment.
What do I find the most difficult?
I think to choose from the thousands of things I could do. It’s hard to stick with one, but that’s the way toward success if you keep going.
Akemi and Andrea, thank you both for your heart-warming comments. Akemi, your response to my comment conveys to me a rich and earthy authenticity. Your key points are well taken: (a) let your inner light shine and let others be as they are; and (b) be free to share your inner light with others, even if the shadows it casts puts ego to the test. As you suggest, community is key, even if said community is a small, closely-knit one. I would welcome additional thoughts from you on these issues. Andrea, I can see that you appreciate the difficulty in letting the Self Soul Spirit express fully in the manifest realm. A tall order, indeed, especially for those whose egos require stronger boundaries with Self Soul Spirit (yours truly included). I also like what you said about my divinity: I am my Divinity (suggesting that I can be wholly identified with Self Soul Spirit, where there is no sense of higher or lower); that I do grace everyone with divine presence, reminding them of their own, even if they can barely stand to be reminded of it. And thank you, Andrea, for your compliment, re: my comment. I can no longer tolerate giving anything less than my best.
Zoltan,
While I’m working on taming this tendency in my main area of personal development, I also think growth doesn’t have to come in linear manner — lots of interests and trying a bit of a lot of things have its place, too. . . if not just for fun.
That’s a good one! I used to wonder why I can’t run in five directions at the same time
Chris,
Thank you for your kind words. I certainly strive for rich authenticity, and while I’m not exactly sure how “earthy” applies to me, I guess it’s a good thing especially when it comes to realistic side of life, like business.
Akemi, one of the many things that I love about Japanese culture is its reverence for Nature, its rich relationships with earth and sky, moon and sun. When I say “earthy”, I mean to appeal to your cultural sensibility as well as to suggest that your response is grounded in your authenticity. Whether you yourself are earthy, I do not know for sure, but I would guess that you are, given your rich cultural heritage with Nature.
Christopher
Hi Chris,
That is beautiful. Thank you. I feel wonderful about myself and my Japanese background.
Akemi, you are so welcome
I really like the quote that “if your relationships with others – or yourself – are dysfunctional, you’ll never reach your full abundance potential” Relationships are so important. I think this is what I find so difficult with personal development. I had two parents who were very emotionally dysfunctional and because I was the oldest I got the brunt of it. To make matters worse, I never really learned how to make friends. And then I did what a lot of people probably do, I married a man who was just like my mother. I actually do not know what a relationship which is not dysfunctional would look like
I also like the quote “Compare yourself not to others, but only to your best self”. Although sometimes you can find a person who embodies the qualities you really value and then it may help to compare yourself to them. Or more importantly to learn from them about how to nurture those qualities. It is certainly very important to identify for yourself what your best self would look like, and what it is that you really value in yourself and in others. If you don’t have a goal you won’t know how to reach it or even whether you have reached it.
Tracy,
I feel for your hardship in your original family and I think it is wonderful you have such a clear awareness now. Best luck in your life journey — drop by occasionally and let us know how you are doing.
Thank you so much, Akemi, for your nice compliments! And WOW, I LOVE how you applied what I shared to create your own clear vision of your best self! Fantastic idea!!!
Millionaire Mommy Next Doors last blog post..Come on over, let’s talk!
Jen,
I admire what you do on your blog, and it’s my pleasure to link to you.