Many of us are currently on the quest to better understanding the spiritual side of our lives, looking to better understand the journey towards spiritual awakening. As you take this journey, you will find that there are many emotions and lifestyle choices that you will change along the way.
These changes are necessary to reach your goal – Spiritual Awakening. We often entertain thoughts and emotions that are toxic to our spiritual wellbeing, and may not even be aware of it. Holding onto these thoughts traps us, preventing us from moving forward and finding inner peace. As we ‘wake’ to the world around us, and a better understanding of self, we are able to discover these pitfalls, and take the necessary steps to remove them from our lives.
This is not to say that your journey will be an easy one, or that you will be able to instantly expel these negative thoughts the second you recognize their existence. This is a process – you will take steps forward, as well as steps backward, along the journey. If you are serious about reaching true spiritual awakening, you have many struggles and pitfalls still ahead. Do not let them overwhelm you or bring you down – this is all part of the process and you will come out of each stronger and more in tune with yourself.
Here is a list of some of the negative emotions and thoughts that you will be able to let go of throughout your journey, bringing you closer to inner peace:
- Anxiety
As you move towards finding inner peace you will begin to let go of our need to control every situation that may arise in your life. In doing so, you will also let go of the anxiety that comes with it. There is no need to dwell on the past or stress out over the future, you can’t change them.
Focus on the here and now. It is the only thing currently within your control.
- Fear of Failure
At what point in our lives are we taught that failure is a negative thing? It is through experiencing our failures that we learn and grow. As a young child, you would have never learned to walk if you were too afraid to fall.
Embrace your failures, as it is through them that you experience growth and knowledge.
- Hatred
We live in a society that is heavily controlled by the presence of hatred. A simple look at the newspaper headlines, or watching the local news you will be faced with hateful act upon hateful act. This toxic emotion breeds nothing by more hatred, so why allow it to take up important space within your heart and mind?
Embrace love and acceptance above all else, and all yourself to let go of the unnecessary hatred in your life as it will bring you nothing but negativity.
- Greed
When you become consumed by a greed for the material things in life, it is easy to forget about those things that truly matter. Personal relationships and emotional wellbeing are brushed aside to make way for your quest for the ‘next big thing’. There is no material item that can be purchased, regardless of how much money you may possess, that will bring you inner peace.
Focus your efforts and attention on the things that matter – Your mental and emotional health, and leave greed and the love for the material things in life behind you.
- Revenge
The natural response to do wrong onto those who have done wrong to you is one that is fueled in hatred. In your journey towards inner peace you will come to understand just how toxic it is to welcome this kind of unnecessary hatred and negativity into our lives.
Allow yourself the chance to forgive and let go of the negativity that comes from being wronged, releasing it from your life rather than continuing to nurture it.
- Insecurity
At a young age children are brought up in a culture of comparison – with a heavy focus on their achievements and accomplishments in comparison to those of their age group. Are they talking soon enough? Did they start walking at a young enough age? This comparison continues throughout childhood into our adult lives. When you feel as though we do not measure up, it is easy to become insecure about our selves and our self worth.
Each of us are our own unique and very personal journeys. Do not allow yourself to become so focused on the journey of those around you that you begin to doubt your own.
- Jealousy
In discussing our culture of comparison, jealousy is another negative result from allowing that thought process into our lives. We become enamored by the successes and wealth of those around us, which in turn results in us feeling poorly about our own. Success in our life suddenly appear less important through comparison, and we become jealous of their lives, losing sight of our own. This is a needless waste of your time and energy.
Don’t fall into the trap of jealousy – Focus your time and energy on your own spiritual journey and leave others to their own paths.