Is Your Ego A Spoiled Child!

Kind of an odd title, don't you think?  What would the ego and a spoiled child ever have in common?  Well, if you had made this comparison or suggestion to me a few weeks ago, I probably would've had a strange look on my face, maybe like the one on yours right now.  However, due to a recent, powerful experience, that has all changed. 

You see, I have spend the last few years consciously putting out to the Universe that I would like to understand better who or what the ego is, how it operates, or what makes it tick.  One thing that I have been inspired to do is to read Eckhart Tolle's book, "A New Earth, Awakening to Your Life's Purpose".  In fact, I have read it three times.  I have highlighted different things and marked the book up quite a bit. 

I struggle with unhealthy eating habits and have been putting out there for quite a while that there must be a piece of information that I am missing or overlooking in regards to my own eating habits.

And I am reading all of Doreen Virtue's books on Angels and Fairies.  With all of this on the go, I have had a major awakening.  I have come to understand that I consist of two separate entities, if you will, the soul/spirit and the body/ego.  I am of two minds, one runs the soul (or my authentic self) and one runs the ego.  Now this makes perfect sense to me as I have had, on several occasions, arguments or discussions with myself battling over what I should do next. 

I now understand that the positive, supportive side of the argument has come from the soul/spirit and the negative, self-sabotaging side is from the ego.  No wonder I have been having internal wars or issues, especially about my weight. 

The particular event that happened for me a couple of weeks ago is this:  I love chocolate, and who doesn't, right?  Except for me it's like my chocolate fix has taken over my life.  I have to have it every day or every other day.  I would find myself going to great lengths just to make sure I had that chocolate fix. 

The one thing that was really getting to me is that every time I went to get groceries, chocolate would land in my cart.  I would tell myself before I left the house that I was not going to put any chocolate into my cart this time.  Well, before you knew it, there was the chocolate in my cart, and I really wasn't quite sure how that happened.  Some say that it was a will power problem, but I knew deep down that it wasn't that.  I just didn't know what it was.

I know that the ego has a mind and voice of its own.  And I know that it is the voice of negativity, of every negative thought that goes on in my mind and resulting negative behavior.  And I have been working very hard at reducing the negative thoughts and increasing the positive thoughts. 

So with all this information rolling around in my mind, and as I was continuing to read "Healing With the Fairies" by Doreen Virtue, she was talking about healthful eating habits and how we just need to say "No" to snacking while making a meal, for example. 

As I read this the light bulb went on.  It reminded me of a conversation one would have with a small child who didn't want to wait and was trying to get his own way.  Someone who did this so often that you ended up giving in before you realized what had just happen.  And what do we call someone who gets their own way all the time -- a spoiled child!

I was stunned to realize that my ego was actually that spoiled child.  That was why I had given in so quickly and easily.  This spoiled child had been having its own way for a very long time, years in fact, that I was just tired of arguing and fighting with it. 

I had shivers run up my spine as I contemplated the impact of this realization.  It made perfect sense me to and I could plainly see how the chocolate was continuing to land in the cart.  It had very little to do with will power and much more to do with my inability to say, "No" to this spoiled child because I thought it was me I was saying no to.  And that I was having a difficult time doing. 

Now, with the realization that the ego does not belong to my soul/spirit/authentic self, it is much easier to say, "No" to it as I am not denying myself.  I am disciplining the ego, which is necessary if I am to create more positiveness in my life. 

So I immediately said "No" to that spoiled child and have not had any chocolate since.  I have been to the grocery store several times and no longer have the urge to put chocolate in the cart. 

So let's take this one step further and apply it to other aspects of our life.  Can you think of an example of when that spoiled child has showed up in your life?  Make a list of all the areas where you know it has been showing up.  Next, keep a running journal for the next week or so and play detective with your life.  Each time you feel or see that spoiled child show up, write it down.

Now remember, this is the ego that we are talking about.  Its sole purpose is to stay alive and it's only way of doing that is to keep you engaged in the negative.  Pay extra close attention to all negativity that you are thinking and feeling and you may be surprised at some places that the spoiled child has been running amuck in your life.

Finally, you're going to want to make a conscious choice as to whether or not this spoiled child has been benefiting you.  If it has not been benefiting you, it's time to end the reign of the spoiled child and start saying, "No" to that spoiled child.  This will immediately increase the positive results that will start flowing into your life.  For me it also increased my sense of freedom over my life.

I have always maintained that creating awareness around a topic or question has incredible power.  Do you have questions about yourself or things in your life?  If so, put it out to the Universe in a question form and be open to how the answers/awareness around the topic may come to you.  Grab onto the awareness and that which makes sense to you, and use it to empower your own life.  You can also share this with others and support them in empowering their lives.

With love and gratitude,

Elizabeth