I was coaching someone through a challenging personal problem a few months ago. It was a recurring issue for this person, so it had a lot of emotional weight attached to it. I know in my own life that when I have something I continue to struggle with, I tend to think that I am bad. I am broken. I realized the same false belief was in play for this person.
I asked them, “How would this issue look different to you if you believed you were fundamentally good?” It was a breakthrough moment for them, but also for me. After finishing our session, I reflected on that question and wept openly. A belief in fundamental goodness is something I am learning. Something I have had to train my heart, mind, and spirit to believe. Are you willing to believe in goodness for yourself?
- Are you willing to believe that you are fundamentally good? That you are whole. You are complete. You have everything you need.
- Are you willing to believe in a universe that wants good for you? That the world outside of you it’s not comprised of forces waiting to just do you in? The things that happened to you, even the difficult things, can happen for your good?
- And finally – and this may be the hardest of all – are you willing to believe that the people around you are good too? That person who cuts you off in traffic, the backstabbing friend, the coworker who plays office politics – all these people are, themselves, fundamentally good?
How would a belief in the goodness of the world change the problems you are facing today?