“Do not consider any vice trivial, and so practice it; do not consider any virtue trivial and so neglect it.”– Chinese Proverb-
Shortly before George Bernard Shaw died, someone approached and asked, “You have known all the great men of your time, who have shaped the destiny of the world. Now, if you could be born again and re-live your life, as any one of your choice, who would it be?” Without a moments hesitation he said “If I could re-live my life in the role of any person I desired, I would want to be the man George Bernard Shaw could have been, but wasnt“.
It is only when we can look back and think, that we become aware, how much we have missed over the years, by not waking up to realize our own full potential and for not changing ourselves, while we could, to the highest level of our capabilities.
We cannot accomplish anything, greater than what we are. It is indeed a tragedy to observe people struggling to improve their circumstances without giving a thought to improving themselves. It is elementary, that we should put ourselves under the microscope for observation and from time to time engage in self analysis with complete honesty and humility, so that we know what we have to do and must do to become better individuals.
Self Realization is the only sure way towards self improvement. This has to become a continuous and self committed process. To be yourself and to be the best of your own self is the only sure way to live a happy and spiritually enhanced life. A peacock looks beautiful and charming only when it spreads its wings and walks like a peacock. If it tries to copy the mannerisms of another beautiful bird it will fail miserably and not make any impact of its own graceful personality.
Along with awareness must come flexibility and the burning desire to become a better person. Some people learn from the mistakes and experiences of others. Most learn from their own mistakes and life experiences. Still, there are some who refuse to learn at all. they probably feel that there is no real need for them to improve and become better individuals that what they already are. for them time shall not wait.
Self realization is a game equally won and lost in the mind. It takes courage to take the hard decision of self improvement. We must act only when we are prepared in order to get the best of what this universe has to offer.
GOD has given us a world that nothing but our own folly and our refusal to benefit from our experiences, keeps from being a paradise. The longer we live, the more we realize the impact of this truth. This small but powerful poem sums up the importance and urgency of acting while there is still time.
” The clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power,
To tell just when the hands will stop,
At late or early hour.
Now is the only time you own,
Live, learn, toil with a will,
Place no faith in tomorrow,
For the clock may then be still.”
Are you on the path to self realization? If so, what experience has led you to this journey?
Please share in comments. Your experiences will help us all on this path to Self realization and Self Improvement.
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Hi Zeenet, I totally agree with your main point here. In fact I just finished an article on conscious awareness that fits right in with the self realization theme. I think that it’s through this process that we can become the best possible version of ourselves. Which also means finding the greatest amount of joy and satisfaction possible.
Hi Jonathan,
I loved your post on conscious awareness. And youre right it just fits very well with this topic of self realization. Cause in being consciously aware will we be able to come to self realization. Thank you for this valuable insight.
Love the George Bernard Shaw quote! To be the person that I could be… that’s something to think about this week. Thanks Zeenat!
Hi Daphne,
Nice to see you here 🙂
When i read that quote form George Bernard Shaw…it kept playing in my head over and over again. I just had to write my chain of thoughts leading to that awesome quote..hence this post on self realization.
What wonderful quotes you have used here. I have found being married has opened my eyes to who I am.
I have been able keep my identity and defiantly not be put in his shadow. This is something I enjoy but for some reason didn’t think it was going to be so easy. lol
So you do have to be aware and be flexible.
Hi Bunny,
Its so nice to know you have such a wonderfully uplifting marriage. I think you and me are both lucky that way. For me too, being able to keep my identity and being me isn’t difficult cause my hubby is very supportive. But being aware of his needs and being flexible with mine is proving to be a sure hit formula 😉
NIce post thanks for sharing
Glad You liked the Post. Thank you for your comment 🙂
Excellent post! “Self Realization is the only sure way towards self improvement.” Very true. The pursuit of self-realization leads us towards greater integrity and happiness everyday. Self improvement follows as a shadow automatically.
HI Vijay,
Wow! “self improvement follows as a shadow automatically” very very well said. And very very true. Conscious self realization is the first step towards self improvement and greater integrity and happiness.
Thank you for this insight 🙂
I think we can even accomplish things greater than we are. That’s why we have friends, family, teachers, you, God…
Hi Miguel,
Yes, we sure can achieve greater things with the help of our family friends and teachers and God…but notice this…in achieving these greater things, we are growing and becoming better individuals as well.
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Zeenat, that’s so beautiful (as always). I’ve been on a path of self-realization (which I always call a spiritual path, but I think I like your term better) since turning 25. That’s when I joke that God shoved me onto it. Every year has been better than the last, with greater lessons, deeper experiences, and more love than I ever dreamed possible. I’ve tripped myself up a few times along the way, letting myself get caught up in ego’s dramas, but when I stood up again, I stood taller each time.
It makes me excited to see what’s next. It makes me excited to be alive. Most of all, it makes me excited to share this journey with others like you, who add sparkles to otherwise plain vanilla days.
Hi Megan “my joyful angel”,
I actually like your term better 😉 ‘spiritual path’
I love how you say “God shoved you into it”. Somehow i have the same feeling. God does truly works in mysterious ways 🙂
Yes, ego dramas will come and a little fender bender is normal on this glorious journey, we arent perfect na! But, the most important thing is we are consciously making the decision to stay on the right path…and that helps immensely.
I too love it that i have found such a wonderful friend like you on this spiritual journey.
Lots of love.
Hey, Zeenat! This is an awesome post. The quotes you used are fantastic. I’m still thinking about that Chinese proverb and how it has gotten me in trouble before. I’ll think, “Oh THIS is no big deal,” and so do something I shouldn’t, or I don’t do something I should be doing. The risk of trivializing, indeed. Hmm..
But I’d like to play Devil’s Advocate here for a moment (I’ve been doing this a good bit this week… I don’t know… swimming upstream?) on the issue of self-realization being the only path to self-improvement. I’m thinking of some people I’ve known who are NOT keen on self-analysis, introspection, or personal development. They just traipse through life doing, rather than thinking or feeling.
Sometimes these people stumble into spiritual awareness through the path of helping others. For instance, the guy in Three Cups of Tea… he was just trying to repay the village for rescuing him when his climb attempt failed, so he built them a school. Then that became his life’s passion, and he’s built a whole bunch of schools in Pakistan, slowly becoming more spiritual and self-aware.
I mention this only because not all of us are comfortable delving deep within right away, so it might be a good alternate path for those who are more comfortable dealing with the world “out there” first. Maybe, through service to others, they will start to make all the big discoveries: we are not alone (though we each feel alone sometimes); we all want the same things (despite superficial differences); we are each exactly as we were meant to be, and happiness is possible for everyone.
Service to others can lead to spirituality and self-improvement… I think.
PS: I’m not trying to be difficult, just adding a slightly different angle to the discussion. I really did LOVE the post!! 🙂
Hi Lisis (my sweet twin)
Youre not being difficult, youre being wise beyond your years 🙂
I love how you managed to put light on the point of people who arent really willing to make the change in themselves, cause they seriously do think their life is perfect just the way it is.
I agree with you completely. For these people, in helping others, their hearts soften and inturn open up to more awareness and inturn self realization happens. I guess we need to take it up as a project to stir these people in the right direction. We would both do a great job at it for sure 🙂 I am taking my project seriously…what about you?
Thank you sweetie for this lovely extension to this post.
Lots of love.
Oh Zeenat – how wonderful a post this is! I love what you wrote about it being our own folly and not benefiting from experiences that keeps us from seeing the paradise God gave us! Wow. What truth!!!
My journey into self-realization has been interesting and late in life. I always had a deep sense of who I was, but my path was litered with land mines. It was only my silly sense of humor that was my best survival tool. I thank God for it! A weird tool, but it worked. I found if all I could do was make people laugh, cheer them up, have them look at something differently and get motivated, it was a self-cure for me!
I believe in helping others you show God that the gifts he gave you were not wasted or ignored. Surely the light of love that you share with us thru your blog is something that He smiles about!
Hi Suzen,
I agree with you that your humor is really a force to reckon with 🙂 I think all our negativity will pale in comparison to you timely and witty humor. And its said that the people who are humorous are usually the most clean hearted people around.
Self realization, whenever it comes always brings with a certain sense of euphoria. Somehow everything just seems more crystal clear. God, works with those who work on themselves…and you and your beautiful words always help others. So youre well on your way…..Its lovely how all of us have come together in the interest of self improvement and are now walking hand in hand giving each other the strength and motivation we each need.
Thank you darling Suzen for your constant love and support.
Big Big Hug to you 🙂
Hi Zeenat
Life never made sense to me with all its incongruencies, so I have always been questioning things silently and looking for answers.
I started to find them when I started to live, which meant quitting my job, simplifying my life, taking the time to do things I love doing and thus seeing how incongruent I have been in daily living.
Then books I had read started to make sense and now I understand that loving life is the best thing I can do and in daily life observing and then correcting my bad habits with more serving ones.
Having a great partner certainly helps too as you know.
Love Wilma
HI Wilma,
There is a certain freedom that comes from throwing away the excess baggage that clutters our lives isnt it! I had a similar experience, when i started to become more aware, i just automatically lost interest in the excesses of life. Simplicity was and is so much more beautiful. We are on the same page on this topic and i am glad I found lovely friends such as yourself to share this journey with.
A good partner is always a blessing:)
Thank you.
Lots of love to you too.
Zeenat, powerful words both from you and in the comments. Not too long ago I was talking to someone about this subject, and she asked: “is it really about self-improvement, or is it about self- discvery?”
Made me think: could it be that deep down at our core, we already ARE our very best selves, and the “improvement” we refer to is more a matter of peeling away the layers of ego, and wearing masks, and walls built (self-imposed isolation), and lack of authenticity — in other words, self improvement might be a matter of getting in touch with our TRUE or HIGHER selves . . . ? Of course I’ll keep thinking:)
Hi Jeanne,
So lovely to see you here.
There is so much power in the comments from all the love that all these people have. All such beautiful souls.
Self improvement is about self discovery which in turn leads to self realization. And as you said peeling away those egoistic layers and masks and self imposed walls reveals your True Self Realized Self. You re so so right!
I am glad you stopped by and shared your insight.
Lots of love.
my husband and I are going through some great growing phases right now (not us as a couple but us individually and with regard to our external families)
it’s very stretching and exhausting…we both wish the external family did more self reflection…and asserting personal boundaries is good and difficult as it lately is causing a lot of uncomfortable ripples.
I really loved this post and just found your blog… I’ll be reading more.
Thanks
Hi Cindy,
Nice to see you here. Welcome 🙂
Families and friends do need to be more open to self reflection and know their boundaries. But, sometimes when they are so close to you they dont think of it from your point of view. They are so happy in being in your company that they forget you have a life of your own too. I think a gentle nudge should do the trick. Try it. Be open and honest without being rude…the ripples will change to positive ripples.
Thank you for your lovely comment.
Hi Zeenat .. I too love the George Bernard Shaw quote – yes we all need to do as much as we can now before life takes over and is gone.
Thanks – all the best Hilary Melton-Butcher
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Hi Hilary,
Its such a powerful quote isnt it…
I am glad you liked it. And yes do now for tomorrow might never come.
Zeenat — I enjoyed this post very much and I ended up reading all the comments and your replies. It made me like you even more because you never gave pat or standard answer. You spent time with the comment and your replies reflected it. I think that’s very special in a blogger:~)
Growing spiritually for me occurred later in my life. I spent a lot of time fighting myself and my gremlins, but in the last 8 or so years, I’ve been learning about making peace with myself and those gremlins. It’s a step by step process. Like Megan, I’ve had my ego episodes and still do at times, but I see them sooner…I think that’s a positive sign:~)
Hi Sara,
I am glad you enjoyed the comments as well. Arent all the people here such beautiful and insightful souls 🙂
I like how you say “making peace with myself”. It is truly all about that. When youre at peace from the inside, self realization just happens. One step at a time Sara…baby steps…and youll be there in no time at all.
Oh…and thank you for the lovley comment about me being a special blogger…I’m blushing 😉
Lots of love.
Hello Zeenat!
Great article you’ve written. “To be yourself and to be the best of your own self” is a profound statement and I love it. It’s like taking off the “mask” of superficiality. and being the person we truly are, all the time, regardless of the situation or the people we come into contact with.
Thanks!
Hi Keith,
Great to see you here!
Being You The Real YOU is all that you need to attain peace and tranquility.
Thank you for you lovely comment.
Great article. People live their lives in mediocrity and pass way. Billions of people die with their music still in them. Why? Fear keeps them from becoming the person they wish they were. A person who is fearless, confidence, has high self esteem, works hard, has a loving spouse, is financially free etc. The fact is people can be all of this now. But they chose not too. Its there daily choices which led them to inevitable failure.
Hi Jonathan,
Youre absolutely right! It is our choice to lead the life we want-whether be a success or be failure its all in our choice and in our attitude towards ourself and life.
Thank you for your valuable insight 🙂
Self realization is the most important virtue man can attain in this temporal life. If we can’t be aware of our self, we are no different from animals who lives on instinct. We pompously flaunt our supposed superiority, but in reality we are the most disturbing amongst creation.
First we destroy our self, then the environment, then other beings. We blame our misfortunes to the outside force whence we have created them inside our self. Only by realizing our true nature and opening our eyes to our divine nature only then we can see everything in harmony. 🙂
HI Walter,
What you say is so perfectly true.”Only by realizing our true nature and opening our eyes to our divine nature only then we can see everything in harmony.”
You have managed to get the essence of the whole post in this one line. Lovely writing and lovely thoughts.
Thank you for your valuable comment.
Hello,
I love George’s quote. My biggest accomplishments and growth opportunities have been my marriage and my family. Both require me to continuously look within myself rather than projecting my stuff onto them. I think the most wonderful are my grand children where I feel I get the chance to redeem myself!
I don’t plan on wasting any of my time on being stuck…well OK maybe just a few minutes or refusing to grow. It’s always about me, my intention and perception.
Hi Tess,
I know what you mean when you say your marriage and family can really make you grow and realize so many things about yourself. I feel exactly the same way.
A great support system is key to healthy self-realization. And who better to support us than our near and dear ones.
I don’t know If I said it already but …Excellent site, keep up the good work. I read a lot of blogs on a daily basis and for the most part, people lack substance but, I just wanted to make a quick comment to say I’m glad I found your blog. Thanks, 🙂
A definite great read..Tony Brown
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this is amaziiiiing ………….
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REALLY YOU ARE A GREAT BECAUSE YOU LOVE WHO IS LOVED BY ALL.A PERSON WHO HAS NOT REALIZE THE ALLMIGHTY POWER , HE IS ONLY A HEAVY UNNECESSARY WEIGHT ON EARTH.THIS BODY IS EARTH WITH OUT SOUL. THIS YOUR SITE REMINDS ME ABOUT SELF RELIAZATION.
DARSHAN SHARMA
Excellent work Zeenat. Keep up the good work.