Ego says “I need credit!”
Ego says “I’ll rise to the top.”
Ego asks “why is this happening to me?”
Ego asks “how will this look?”
Ego wants to stand out, to shine, to be recognized. Ego thinks there is a prize to be won.
Faith doesn’t care about any of it.
When we let our ego take over (and trust me, we all have), we push faith to the side. When we let our faith take over, ego subsides.
I‘ve been doing this new thing these last few months where I check in with myself and ask “is my ego driving this or my truth (my faith)? It works in every situation. Even when you’re trying to decide what to eat for breakfast. “Am I eating a healthy meal because I need to look good for other people or am I eating a healthy meal because I want to be healthy?” And obviously, it gets more complicated as situations get more complicated. But it’s a wonderful check in.
I’ve found that when I can drop my ego, my faith is right underneath. The stress drops, the expectations drop, and I am more at peace. Sometimes it takes a bit longer to drop the ego but it is possible. And it takes practice and checking in. I’m not saying that ego is the opposite of faith. What I am saying is that if you can cut through the ego, you will find faith, amongst other things. Ego (or the slaying of ego) is one of the ways in which we can access faith.
Today, practice checking in with yourself on decisions you’re making or thoughts you’re having. Ask yourself if the decision or thought is driven by ego or if it’s driven by the lack thereof.
*we all have ego and it shows up throughout our lives. The beauty of challenging times is that it can humble us and the ego goes into hiding. Embrace the humbling times and lean on faith.
Love you all!
Gabi