I recently watched Jim Carrey’s commencement speech to the 2014 graduating class of Maharishi University of Management. It was both profound and hilarious.
The universe sure does have an uncanny way of presenting exactly what is needed at the right time. His intention for that graduating class entering the world was to convey one simple message.
You are enough.
Let me explain…
The mind loves to tell stories. There’s an internal dialogue going on inside of your head every single day, and for most it just stays on repeat. It’s static background noise that you may have gotten used to by this point. These stories and thoughts have a huge impact on not only every single area of your life, but every decision you make in every single moment.
And chances are these stories and incessant thoughts are nothing but negative…
Therefore, more often than not, you probably tend to make a lot of decisions based out of fear.
Why? Because you fear not being good enough. Because your mind has told you so, and it must be true.
I’m not good enough.
I’m not smart enough, pretty enough, funny enough, [whatever] enough
Who am I to think I can achieve this?
Sound familiar?
“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life,” Mark Twain once said, “…Most of which never happen.”
Much like the constant worry in our heads, stemming from fear of not being enough, all the thoughts and stories are bullshit. They are nothing but fear- a little game the ego loves to play.
You are not what you think. You are not the stories of your mind. Nor are you your fears.
Fear is nothing more than a false, mind-made up script playing over and over again in the mind, tricking you into believing it’s actually true. There’s no story that the mind can’t create. And the more you identify with the stories- believe them to be true and to be you- the deeper intertwined you become in the inner workings of the ego and subsequently allow fear to dictate the choices you make in your life.
So long as you continue identifying with the ego and acting from a place of fear, there will always be someone better than you, smarter than you, more talented than you, more successful than you.
But guess what? Chances are, that person is also operating from a place of ego and fear and so they are thinking the same thing about the next person. And so on and so forth.
Where does this really get us? Absolutely no where. We stay stuck in a place of dissatisfaction with self and thus projection onto others for our self-perceived lacks and flaws.
“Our eyes are not only viewers. They are also projectors that are running a second story over the picture that we see in front of us all of the time. Fear is writing that script. And the title is I’ll never be enough.” -Jim Carrey
So what happens when you actually question those fears of not being good enough? When you bring them to light and allow them to surface and really feel them? When you ask yourself,
How is what I am experiencing externally a direct reflection of what’s going on internally?
It’s extremely uncomfortable! It’s painful. It hurts like hell. There’s nothing easy about facing that part of ourselves- that vulnerable, insecure part that we keep hidden, at all costs.
We think by hiding it, it’ll just go away. Fortunately- or unfortunately (however you look at it)- the universe has a funny way of presenting situations in life which will continue to challenge our growth in those specific areas over and over and over again until we finally get it. Until we’ve reached a point of exhaustion only to challenge those assumptions about ourselves, and rise above our self-inflicted limitations so we can truly free ourselves from that pain and experience growth.
Now, as cliche as this sounds (and it doesn't matter because it simply speaks volumes of truth), there is no growth without stepping outside of your comfort zone.
That is the only place where you will experience monumental change in your life. Ever. It’s in the unknown- that deathly frightening place where you think you have absolutely no control over and will go to great lengths in order to avoid.
Because, it’s scary. Stepping outside of your comfort zone doesn't feel good.
You know what also doesn't feel good?
Stagnancy. Being stuck in situations that don’t serve you or anyone else around you.
It’s in moments like that, when you’re stuck between where you are and where you want to be, when situations (opportunities) will arise which will challenge your fears and false mind-made beliefs and negative self-assumptions. Where you’ll be faced with the decision to act in fear or to act in love. To stay stuck in those self-limiting, negative beliefs, tricking you into thinking you're not good enough resulting in an avoidance of the unknown out of fear; or to question those bullshit stories your mind has on repeat, and embrace the unknown choosing to act in love despite the fears.
It’s right there- outside of that comfort zone (stagnancy zone) that will stretch you and allow you to access a part of yourself which you probably have forgotten even exists- that courageous, resilient, fearless, self-loved you.
Because, you are enough. You are not what you think, nor are you the stories of your mind. You are greater than that. You are limitless. Everything you desire is achievable. When you open your mind to the possibility of it, you simultaneously open yourself up to receiving it and the opportunities will present themselves, effortlessly and continuously. It will then your choice in each moment to make a decision that will be based in fear or based in love.
Choose love.
Get out of your own head, and into your heart. Out of worry, and into trust. Out of compare and despair, and into self-love. Your fears will keep you stuck and stagnant forever, as long as you let them.
So, what does your internal script sound like?
Can you make the distinction between the thoughts you have, and who you truly are what you really believe to be true?
I invite you to try the only diet I’d ever recommend…
The Negativity Diet
1. Monitor your self talk for a short period of time- for 5 minutes. Just listen to it, without any judgement or resistance. Just let the thoughts flow. It may feel very uncomfortable. That’s OK. Just go with it. What does it say to you? What is it saying about you? If you find yourself judging the thoughts coming in, simply be the awareness behind those thoughts, as well. What are the judgements saying?
2. Now say out loud, “Cancel. Cancel.” By recognizing the negative internal dialogue as nothing more than just thoughts that come and go, you grant them permission to pass instead of linger. As you start to realize you are the awareness behind the thought and not the thoughts themselves, you begin to free yourself from your negative mind.
3. Restate it in a way you'd speak to someone you love, using the specific words, “I am… [insert something positive, uplifting, and loving]”. Say it again, out loud. And again. That may feel very uncomfortable. You’re probably not used to complimenting yourself out loud. In fact, you probably find a great discomfort in even accepting compliments from other people. If so, good for you! You’ve found your specific place of growth and you’re stepping outside of your Stagnancy Zone.
4. Say it out loud again, until that icky, weighted resistance you feel toward the positive words starts to lift a little. You’ll notice how the positive restatements begin to make you feel lighter.
As you become more consciously aware of your internal dialogue, a practice which takes times getting used to and a muscle which takes time in strengthening, you’ll start to be able to catch yourself automatically throughout the day whenever a negative thought comes in.
Although initially uncomfortable, it gets easier very quickly.
Take time every single day, at least for 5 minutes, to practice this. It will condition you to speak positively about yourself, and in turn about and to others. Within weeks you will notice a simultaneous significant change in many areas of your life.
What does your internal script sound like?
Try the Negativity Diet on for size.
I welcome your feedback.
Please leave a comment in the comments section below.
