A short Introduction To Starting Personal Development

There seems to me to be a growing consciousness that our current leaders, local and government institutions and corporate organisations are failing to address the human needs of this time. We are unhappy that we have a continuing recession and we are unable to bring those who we largely see as the perpetrators of this situation to account.

Our indignation is fuelled almost daily as news items are revealed as to the depth of the financial crisis we are unwittingly part of.

Perhaps this is not the whole story. Elected members of our governments and investment bankers are all people after all and they are essentially the same as us with their fears and aspirations. So what is going on?

I think we may all be guilty to some degree as we largely bought into the boom periods in the Western World and liked the idea of getting rich without too much effort or responsibility. We borrowed beyond our short term means to pay back our personal and mortgage loans we took out to make our lives more comfortable. We thought that the rising value of our property would go on so we would be able to borrow more money against the property so we could afford our luxury items. We were greedy just as the bankers were who we now vilify. Yes governments could be firmer with financial controls but they are weekend by threats the financiers make about taking their money elsewhere. We too tell the government that we do not want to pay for services we see as a luxury so the government cuts spending as there is less income coming in as the economy slows.

We have got ourselves into a right mess and we don't know how to get out of it. We want more money and to pay less for goods. I don't think we can have it both ways. We want bankers to pay for their recklessness but it would be with our own money in a complicated sort of way. Governments do not seem able to stand up to bankers and seem incapable of telling us the truth of their ineffectiveness. We seem to be unable to hold either of them to account and to look at what we can do.

We need a different paradigm. Perhaps growth is not our God as we are led to believe. We can have good lives in the developed parts of the world if we have less. It's just the way we currently do things which makes us think we need to have lots of goods to survive. Perhaps it is time to step back and see what is really important in life. After all I am not suggesting we eradicate all technological advances. It may be that something simple like having one family car instead of two is a start. Perhaps selling your investment property in negative equity would save you some stress and give you some time back. Perhaps having more time for your children rather than fretting about moving to where the so called best school is. It has all got more and more frenetic to the point of seeming to be verging on pointless. Why are we here? It cannot be for all what we are constantly told surely?

We can re-educate ourselves and find personal solutions, not just by following the crowd and society's dash to external status and wealth. Fear of poverty and worthlessness may be your reason to continually strive in all of this but isn't there a place for internal happiness and love that doesn't require this constant battle to acquire? Of course you need an income and yes everybody knows you care that your family does well. There are however other ways you may be able to measure your growth rather than the financial rate race most of us seem to be in.

So how do you go about this process? The first thing is to just stop. Give yourself some time to see the bigger picture. Stop thinking you have no choice. Start thinking you may have other reasons for being alive. The more you make space for personal thinking in your life the more you may find there is another level of meaning waiting to inspire you with new options.

I believe Spiritual guidance comes from within you.

Before you can love someone it will be necessary that you love yourself first.

Before you can respect someone it will be necessary that you respect yourself first.

Do you wait to be led or are you willing to lead knowing what you are going to do is absolutely right for you and that you are congruent and passionate about it? If so it does not matter what others may say about your actions.

Be self-reliant as a sign of your own affection for yourself. Other people have their own lives to live. They do not want to be coerced into affirming their love and need for you.

You are part of the universe. We really are all made of stars!

A picture from one of my walks in the late summer of 2011