Subtle Shifts in 42 Days

After reading Gabrielle Bernstein’s first two books, I ordered her latest, May Cause Miracles. I finished the 42nd day this morning and I’m in love with her way of thinking.

I know there’s a chance it could be a load of bullshit, but it’s helping me in small ways: I’m not feeding into people’s anger, or stress, and I’m learning forgiveness (of myself and others). And I’m not hurting anyone else, so who cares?

It’s been rather pleasant to wake up, read that day’s morning chapter, set my affirmation on my phone, then meditate. I’ve been feeling really serene after my morning meditations recently and it’s nice. I wish I could convince everyone I know to meditate, but there will always be skeptics or people who are just too stubborn to stop themselves for 10 minutes a day to slow down and just breathe.

Earlier this week a guy I’d once dated told me he was dating someone knew. I almost switched into victim-mode with “why is everyone in a relationship but me?!” but I witnessed this bullshit, emailed a friend who confirmed that it was bullshit, and then picked up May Cause Miracles before going to sleep. Noticing my bullshit coming up was huge for me. 

Her teachings are very similar to Eckhart Tolle’s because they both urge disassociation from the ego. I recently had a conversation with a friend who thinks that that the ego is your sense of self-esteem. This, in my opinion (and many others’ opinions), is false. A friend explained it to me like this: Your self esteem is your self worth, and your ego is all the labels that you can use to identify yourself and project onto the outside world. I think of the ego also as the way you use external affirmations to derive your self-worth (which of course is bullshit because happiness comes from within). 

The aforementioned friend thinks that not having an ego means not having an identity and he is skeptical of anyone who is anti-ego. What do you guys think?

Gabrielle Bernstein is giving a lecture at the end of July at NYU. My ticket is purchased and I’ve even convinced one of my good, semi-cynical guy friends (who is currently reading Spirit Junkie!) to come with me. 

So, ego vs. self esteem? Is there a difference?

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Choose love.

One of my girlfriends suggested I get into Gabrielle Bernstein a while ago and last week I read her book, Spirit Junkie, and loved every second of it. Yeah, yeah, it’s all about creating the life of your dreams and basically motivational speaker (as that’s what she now does!) but I guess I related to her because a lot of her story takes place when she’s my age (I don’t think she’s too much older now though).

She also has free podcasts to download on iTunes. I’ve downloaded them all and use them first thing in the morning now (to start my day off with positive intentions) and at night (to release anything that may have happened during the day).

I could go on and on but I might sound crazy. I just really enjoy her and her non-religious spirituality. It’s inspiring, and hopeful.

I just ordered her first book, “Add More -Ing,” online and until that arrives, I’m going to enjoy some chick lit with Laura Dave’s novel, “The First Husband.”

I was resolute in trying to read more this year (because I fell off the literary bandwagon in a major way last year) and so far it is going well.