You Are The Only One You Will Never Lose

"You do not need to be loved, not at the cost of yourself. The single relationship that is truly central and crucial in a life is the relationship to the self. Of all the people you will know in a lifetime, you are the only one you will never lose."—Jo Coudert

Most of us spend our time cultivating and growing into individuals who can eventually be a good match for someone else, yet we never truly understand or try to do what's necessary to be acceptable to ourselves. 

It's important to remember that you are your own worst enemy, and as such you know your weaknesses as well as your strengths. With that knowledge you can either plant the positive seeds of love, which can turn into a greater sense of purpose for both who you are and what you are becoming, or you can nourish the negative seeds that have the capacity to lead you down the long, hard path of self-doubt and internal turmoil.

None of us needs to be useless to another, misery can be it's own company, however, imagine how much less inviting your world would truly be if that inescapable force of unhappiness was you.

Let Your Fear Serve You

Fear is considered an inconvenience. We don't like being afraid of anything or anyone because we interpret that feeling as a weakness within ourselves. However, fear is actually a state of being that serves us in a way that surpasses that of any one moment, because it has the ability to make us more intelligent in the choices we make as a result.

For example, on the simplest level, my fear of being unhealthy and, thereby, unable to do the types of things that make the lives of my children and husband more fulfilling, is the driving force behind my dedication to my overall health. I take the steps to both eat right and exercise on a regular basis because I understand the consequences of my inaction would far outweigh any of the potential positives.

In that way, my fear serves me well and I appreciate its presence.

On a deeper level, your fear of not living a life of purpose, grace, or profitability encourages your desire to work hard, be cognizant of the way you treat others, and pay closer attention to the choices you make in both your education and your career so that you don't find yourself on the negative end of life.

You have to allow those feelings of ill ease to play their role in helping you make careful decisions about what you wish to do in life. Don't look at your fear as an inconvenience or a burden, but rather as a tool to help you overcome a difficult situation with more intelligence and focus than you might have otherwise.