This morning while beginning my day, I was struck by this excerpt from the book “The Great Work of Your Life” by Stephen Cope.
It reads:
“When a life is founded on self-betrayal, the habit of self-betrayal proliferates until we are at peril of not remembering who we are at all. There is a slow deadening of spirit as we try to pick up the burdens of adulthood without the energy of The Gift. Our work can be motivated by obligation, by hunger for the external rewards of accomplishment, or by strongly reinforced ideas about who we should be in this lifetime.”
In terms of your lived experiences, what resonates for you in reading this?
Oof, the self betrayal bit. I've definitely been a people pleaser for a very long time, and now in my early 30s I'm working on putting myself first. Which feels so strange. I had to bail on a SuperBowl party last night, and still felt bad even though I (physically) did not feel great and had more lesson planning to do. Realizing that I'll never be able to achieve any of my goals if I put others before me has been a big awakening moment.
Thank you for introducing this book to me. The excerpt you chose resonated with me very much. The CV lockdown period led to my own period of introspection and this quote was the essence of my own inner work. Now, I am curious to read the book! Thanks, again!
Oof, the self betrayal bit. I've definitely been a people pleaser for a very long time, and now in my early 30s I'm working on putting myself first. Which feels so strange. I had to bail on a SuperBowl party last night, and still felt bad even though I (physically) did not feel great and had more lesson planning to do. Realizing that I'll never be able to achieve any of my goals if I put others before me has been a big awakening moment.
Thank you for introducing this book to me. The excerpt you chose resonated with me very much. The CV lockdown period led to my own period of introspection and this quote was the essence of my own inner work. Now, I am curious to read the book! Thanks, again!