Be honest with yourself

I truly believe one of the hardest things to do as humans, especially this day in age, is to be honest with who we are. We all play roles, that sometimes are hard for us to change out of. Your father might be a police officer- that is his role during the day, but when he comes home he should act as your father. However, that isn't always the case. He may be just as hard on you as he is on a criminal he had locked up earlier that day. He may reflect in the mirror with certainty that he is both a good cop and a good father but has no idea he lacks the self-awareness to separate the two. These roles are our many egos. We all have them. They have a mind of their own because our true being, self, is the one in the background without control of what is going on.  

Some people may never gain control of their ego because the only way to do so is to become of aware of it. By becoming aware of your ego, even for a split second, you are able to separate your being. What usually happens when people become self-aware is that they realize how shitty of a person they were or just how wrong they had done things in the past. They are upset for a moment, but then quickly realize this was not them, but something else.  

I scroll through social media and see the vanity in human interactions- their egos so deeply yearning for attention, but in such a negative way. If they could only realize for a second that what was happening to them was actually an egotistical call for help maybe they could actually stop what they're doing and figure out a better way of going about their longing for affection.  

I feel like I am so aware of people’s egos because I have been able to see mine... and I have many. I practice mediation, I do yoga, I speak words of mindfulness, but I have to do this consistently because I am not where I want to be. I still lie to myself. I say I am going to work harder and I am going to be great, but that is just my ego talking for me because I don't turn off Netflix or pick up a book. I tell myself I will be more mindful, but then later that day I lash out at my loved ones because I have held in anger from situations unrelated. 

 I am not close to perfect, but I know I am asking the right questions and moving forward with the right intentions. I have implemented a strategy that will allow me to get focused on becoming a better me than I was the day before. Compounding interest, is the growth strategy I took from Jordan Peterson's new book, "12 Rules for Life," will eventually allow me to become something far greater. Because I am aware of all my egos and those of the people around me, I am not to judge them. I am never to judge anyone or try to tell anyone what they should or should not do, this is not my place. If somebody asks for my help I will give it to them, but I am being dishonest to myself and to them if I believe that by forcing my ideologies on a person they will be able to change, because nobody has ever changed that did not want to in the first place. Be honest with yourself and those around you- and take each day as an opportunity to become better than the last.