I dare say we all have plenty of dysfunctional thoughts and perceptions that we would do well to address.
No matter what my issue is, no matter how I'm feeling, no matter how deeply seated the dysfunction is, and no matter how many times I meditate to find clarity...the answer always comes down to the same two things:
Be Here Now
and
Love Thyself
It's pretty incredible to me that those two solutions actually fix nearly everything!!
Now I say nearly everything, because I haven't experienced the worst of the worst (like rape, torture, losing a child, etc.) in this lifetime--and I'm profusely thankful for that. But all the issues I have encountered, can be brought back to light with these two solutions. We can also take these opportunities to build inner strength and awareness, upgrading our entire existence.
BE HERE NOW
Many of our dysfunctions are based on fear. Fear comes into play when we are out of the present moment, projecting ideas, thoughts and pictures into the future, and conjuring up possible undesirable outcomes. In other words: Making shit up and obsessing over something that hasn't even happened! Most fear can be eased by recognizing well-being in the moment of right now. Of course it also helps if you believe you are an eternal being -- as your core essence is never in jeopardy.
I'm grateful the following fear based realities aren't part of my life, but if they were, I could find my way through them by being present right now.
Worries about finances - Remembering that right now, regardless of how much money I have in the bank or of my ability or inability to pay the bills, I am breathing and sitting here present right now. I have awakened to another day, and I remember that my well-being does not depend on money.
Oh NO!! I've lost my iphone - Many moments I have experienced without my iphone. This is the perfect time to enjoy the freedom. Maybe there is a reason I no longer have my phone--it's an opportunity to let go of attachment.
I'm late for work and scared I'll get fired - I realize that right now I still have my job, and even if I didn't, I love myself and know I am capable of taking care of myself. Maybe losing my job would be the best thing that ever happened to me. A great opportunity to re-evaluate priorities.
My teenage child is out, I haven't heard from him and I'm worried about his well-being - Worrying about what isn't doesn't solve anything, so staying present with what I do know is of great value.
LOVE THYSELF
Almost all the ills we face are based on not loving the self. Loving ourselves provides the foundation for us to love others, and will change our lives in profound ways. One who loves the self takes responsibility for their entire existence, and retains their own power to enact beneficial change.
Here are a couple of examples of how loving the self will diffuse these and other disempowered realities:
Jealousy - More self love will dissolve the requirement for anyone else to fulfill those needs.
Illness - Health will improve when we love ourselves more.
Judgment - When we are judging others, we are actually judging ourselves. Accepting and loving ourselves will free us from judgment.
Blaming - Being responsible for the self and everything we are a part of takes us out of the victim role and gives us back our power. If we love ourselves, we will be true to our values, see our part in the situation, and stop blaming others for things that go "wrong" in our lives. When we take responsibility for our own existence, we are in the driver's set to make change.
Of course these are only example of the infinite number of issues that might arise. With all of the opportunities we have to address our dysfunction and better ourselves, we could focus on these two upgrades and see our lives change rapidly in miraculous ways. I'd love to hear how you find these suggestions to be of value to you.