Very blunt and very true and quite often, very unconscious. I can't think of anyone I know who was not given the message growing up that they didn't quite measure up to par in some fashion. There's the original sin nonsense from the Bible. Assorted religions thrive on telling folks of their sinfulness and powerlessness. (I grew up in one of those.) Messages of lack seem to hit us from all directions--we're too young, old, tall, short, fat, thin, beautiful, unattractive, unskilled, stupid, rich, poor--it's endless. Add a self-destructive addiction to the mix, and you have a complete "I'm no good" package. It's no wonder we cram our unworthiness into the finest of suitcases and drag that baggage around most of our lives. We seem to think that we can somehow earn our worthiness by being sufficiently miserable. So much bullshit.
It's no small challenge to change the personal and collective mindset that we are here to live in joy and abundance rather than to suffer. One is pushing "uphill" against all the downer forces mentioned above. I am eternally grateful to the 12-Step programs for bringing me and thousands of others through the journey of learning to value ourselves. Alas, when I finally recognized that I felt worse leaving church than when I entered, I stopped attending, which greatly improved my relationship with myself and Spirit.
Those places in life where we feel we can't do, be or have something we desire are the spots to start excavating those "unworthiness" beliefs. Like splinters, we find them, pull them out, toss them and heal.
Leta
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