10.5. PSYCHOLOGICAL CHECKLIST: QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
As we continue to move ahead, it can be instructive to create psychological checkpoints to insure progress. Certain questions should be asked, and even creating a daily or weekly "to do" list can be beneficial. Here are some questions and daily exercises that can help one stay on track and remain in an optimized state.
10.5.1. Abundance versus Scarcity
Those who smile inwardly at the misfortune of others come from a mental state of lack. Envy is born from this state of scarcity. Renowned philosopher Ayn Rand wrote in her essay "The Age of Envy" (The Objectivist, 1971) that the culture in the United States is one of envy where people love to marry the rich and famous to scandal. The misery encountered often gives such people a feeling of comfort and satisfaction.
People should honestly ask themselves if they come from a state of scarcity or "lack," or a state of abundance. To find the answer, people should ask themselves if they feel even a hint of satisfaction when someone more successful or wealthy than they takes a fall. This is not to be confused with a healthy drive against a competitor. If you come from a state of abundance, you should honestly feel happy at other people's success, wealth, and riches. If you look up to their achievements in your own goal setting, and set your goals accordingly, then this is a healthy indication that you are coming from a state of abundance. You see the world as providing limitless opportunities for yourself, so that the world is indeed yours, whether you are seeking adventure, accomplishments, wealth, or rewarding and mutually supportive personal relationships.
10.5.2. Confidence versus Insecurity
It is a commonly held belief that being smart, being right, or displaying wealth means commanding respect and influence. Others strive to look as good as possible by wearing the best clothes, obsessing about their bodies, and undergoing cosmetic surgery. While there is nothing wrong with looking good and being proud of one's accomplishments or sharing the news of these accomplishments with others, people must ask themselves if they are crossing over the line by doing any of the above to show off or so that they can secure bragging rights. All of this is nothing less than a form of an unhealthy, oversized ego or superiority complex. Bragging about one's car, one's house, one's bank account, the number of shares bought, one's grades, one's clothes, or one's physical beauty all could imply insecurity and a lack of confidence. Likewise, an inferiority complex is just the reverse of this but also presupposes a person who lacks confidence.
Truly enlightened people do not need to be respected or loved, or need to practice such bragging rights, as they know that on a cellular level everyone is one, everyone is connected, and they are connected to their infinite potential and stillness and infinite depth at all times.
10.5.3. Life's Purpose
On a daily basis, affirm your goals, affirm your talents, practice giving thanks for all that is good in your life, meditate to clear your mind, focus on how you can both evolve yourself and evolve others, focus on the good you can do, have fun with everything you do, even if it may be a task that is normally dull or unpleasant by reframing your perspective of the task, and get into the habit of asking yourself the questions, "How can I help?" "How can I be a positive influence on others?" and "How can I use part of the money I make in the market to help others and help my favorite charities?" Even a word of appreciation or a devoted glance is often all it takes to lift another person's spirits. This is real power. Real power is power than cannot be taken away from you. Wealth, status, physical beauty—these can quickly vanish. Spiritual beauty, on the other hand, is yours and yours to share forever. All of these practices will not only serve to raise your vibrational frequency, but will also create strong positive, empowering neural connections within your mind, so that you can achieve your goals as you uplift others around you.
When you encounter a negative event, especially if it is one of great loss or tragedy, use the event to surrender as prescribed by Tolle so you gain inner peace, that quiet comfortable space around you, that inner stillness. Inner peace is far greater and deeper than happiness which is just a temporary state. Your inner peace manifests by your connecting deeply with your deep pool of radiant energy and will result in being your most effective so that you can create the best outcome as the universal energies work in your favor.