We’re Looking in the Wrong Places

We’re Looking in the Wrong Places

While going through a rough time, I started listening to my Spiritual teacher, ordained minister Iyanla Vanzant, again. It was bad enough that I finally began reading her book on Trust. As an elapsed Catholic, but I haven’t practiced Catholicism much as an adult. Didn’t buy into it as a child, among other reasons.

Miss Vanzant says that God resides in us as us. Catholics are taught we aren’t worthy of even speaking to God even though He made us in His image.

Also during this rough time, I came across an article called, “I Gave up Religion, and Now Feel God Everywhere.” This resonated because religious people, (Sticking with Catholics and Christians) tend to be stricter in their beliefs. You must believe what you are told in church without question. We’re taught that we aren’t worthy of talking to God ourselves. That God is an outward force. He resides in Heaven. To get to Heaven you must suffer in this life to be rewarded in the next. God is usually not happy with us. If that’s all true, I’m in trouble because I can’t buy it. It doesn’t sit well with me. Nor does it make returning to Catholicism very appealing.
Believing that God is Kind and loving sits much better with me. I truly believe something kind led me to the article about Giving up Religion. There was also a feeling from within me telling me to start listening to my spiritual teacher again and talk to a pastor who lives near me. (The pastor hugged me twice after praying for me while I sobbed.) I couldn’t talk to my roommates without triggering their issues.

The rough time began with me wanting to start a new chapter of my life. It was scary. I left comfort and familiarity behind and didn’t have much of a support system beyond myself. Hearing people say, “Put it in God’s hands” made me roll my eyes. Believing the Universe had my back was difficult to accept. Maybe that’s because I had turned my back to the Universe? I consider myself more spiritual than religious and have issues with some so-called “people of faith”

The saying it’s better to laugh than crying fits yet my sense of humor was M.I.A. The crying resulted from keeping my doubts about God and myself to myself. Talking to the God of my understanding began again with praying in addition to sincerely thanking the Universe for everything it’s given me, yet I still wasn’t happy and didn’t know to whom to turn. There might have also been some bargaining with God. I’m willing to help people. Those who want to help themselves. No one can do it for them. You can pray for someone all you want. If they aren’t willing to anything for themselves, there’s nothing else you can do. I have tried with friends and relatives.
In her book, “Finding Your Own North Star.” Life coach Martha Beck talks about the key to happiness is following what your essential self is saying. Your essential self of your internal guidance. If you also want to call this God, go for it. Following what society says we need to do to be happy hasn’t worked for me either. If it works for you, then you keep on doing you. Same with going for a walk in nature to commune with the God of your understanding. Going for walks in nature has also helped, yet I still felt alone. The internal guidance was usually silent in nature. Maybe because it was at peace?

Instead, I depended on external stuff for comfort. This is better known as escapism. Developing an embarrassing Instagram addiction and looking for signs in the external world cost me a few smartphones. And some sanity. There is a difference between going to stuff for external comfort and using them to relax. How often do you go to external comfort? I was checking IG several times daily to distract me from my unhappiness. How did you do it if you aren’t so exhausted from life that you have the energy to do more than spend all your downtime sleeping or wanting to sleep?
Letting go of what wasn’t working. In a recent move, I had to give up 99% of everything I owned. Hoping most of it was donated to the homeless camp near the house I had to move out of. Yet that was out of my control. In regards to the move, my internal guidance said go! The path I was on wasn’t working. Whenever I asked my internal self, it said, “Yes, go!”

After the move, I had no income for a few months. Only some money saved up. So all unnecessary spending was eliminated. Leaving my life on the boring side. I’ll spare you the details because they would bore you senseless. Yet at the same time the usual stuff I did, like watching TV and movies didn’t seem appealing as much anymore. I was done watching movies I had already seen at least a dozen times. A new movie or series really had to get my attention for me to give it my precious time. That time went to feeding my starved intellect on how the mind, anxiety and depression work.

Doubting the universe had my back was fueled by looking for work. Which is tiring, time-consuming and you don’t get paid for it. The rejection stung because I have the experience and I value it by not applying for work that didn’t pay more than a certain wage. It’s funny what people think is a livable wage, especially when you have to commute. While filing for unemployment I had to verify that I was who I said I was. More work. Yet as someone who has experienced ID theft, I do appreciate it. (Thanks identity thieves.) Yet it led me to believe that people want to contribute to society instead of being a burden and being looked down on by society. People want to earn a living, most of them honestly. (I have worked since the age of 16 and I pay my taxes, thank you kindly.) In return for their time and energy, people want a wage they can have a reasonably nice life on.

Relief finally came months after signing up for a writing course. Again the internal guidance said, “Go for it.” All the material was new and I was overwhelmed by it. I still did the work and I made mistakes. Yet I kept working and learning. Confirmation that I was on the right path came from an external source after talking to the pastor. Thank you God! The doubt became quieter and the anxiety has eased up over these past few months. This very morning, some anxiety began it’s usual chatter, yet something took it away before it really got to me. (Thank you again.)

In the end, I believe that if are facing a difficult choice, doing what brings you peace, is the path you need to follow. You can only take care of yourself. Worrying shows you care about other people, yet it does you no good. Those you are worrying about have to live their life and you can only live yours.

Namaste.
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