The Seventh Obstacle—Doubting One’s Progress

Doubting one's progress means questioning or comparing one's life to others. Why is someone else more successful, more innovative, or more evolved? Have they made more progress in life than we have? We live in a world where others may be more successful and move down life's path faster. We doubt our progress. Have you ever questioned where or what you are doing with your life and wondered if you were on the right path? Questioning is a byproduct of the obstacle of self-doubt. When you doubt yourself, you doubt the progress you've made. Karma, however, teaches us that we are all on our paths, and the markers of the material world do not indicate how far we have progressed soulfully. The soul is here to turn deceit, greed, anger, and pride into truth, generosity, kindness, and humility. Awareness of this and taking this direction puts you further down the path than someone ignorant of what progress means. Awareness does not mean that you cannot be wealthy and powerful. What you do with your energy is the true marker of progress. Regardless of where you are, if you are working on being honest, generous, kind, and humble, you are making progress. It takes work—that's karma. Let's get started. END: Everyone faces doubt in varying intensities—from a subtle whisper to a loud emotional shout. Doubt can remind us to return to our most basic truth—love. Where there is true love, there is no doubt. Doubt can teach us a thing or two about ourselves and the world. We have an opportunity to see where we lack trust and, as such, can make a different choice. When we become aware of doubt, we connect to a deeper part of our being—a place of stillness and peace. Here, we connect with the soul or our essence, and it is here that we truly discover our progress along life's path. Trust and love yourself and be honest, generous, kind, and humble, and you will make tremendous progress in life. EGO: Flip your palms up and extend the index fingers, the symbol of the ego. Doubt, at the core of the ego, is a fearful emotion. The ego shouts at us to take charge, fearing not being accepted, rejected, or loved. It doubts its self-worth and questions its progress. Pull your index finger in and place your thumb on top, the symbol of the soul. Take a breath and surrender to your soul. When we surrender to the essence of our being, our soul, we discover that each path is unique. Comparison and competition do not fit into the soul's mission. The soul is here to help us quiet the mind and see the world for what it really is—an opportunity to discover trust, generosity, kindness, and humility within ourselves. When we discover these qualities within, we have no need to doubt ourselves or our progress. We often climb hills only to slide down or climb to the top of the mountain, only to realize we climbed the wrong mountain for the wrong reason. So, we must come down and begin a new climb. Navigating life takes continual practice. Sometimes, we get it right, and sometimes, we don't. But we need to keep practicing to achieve trust, belief, and love for ourselves. Namaste~ may you walk the path of life with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn For books, classes, consultations, and more http://www.doctorlynn.com