Archive for August 6th, 2010

friday thoughts: validity

River Thames near Southwark Bridge

I guess I’m one of those people who could be called “privileged”.  I went to private school, my parents were always comfortably off (or at least it always seemed like that to us kids), I travelled the world and studied for two degrees, went on to work in law before finally finding a path teaching yoga.  I always had support, emotionally and financially, from my amazing family.  I’m lucky, and blessed beyond measure.

However, this comes with it’s own baggage.  My life has been much less than the “perfect privilege” it seems from the outside.  Things have happened that left me with anxiety and self-esteem issues.  For years I didn’t think my trivial little problems were valid in the grand scheme of things.  I hadn’t been abused, I didn’t have to walk 20 miles to get water for my family, I had food, a roof over my head, a job.  What more did I need?

Then I met Himself who taught me that everybody’s problems are valid no matter how small they may seem.  Anything that blocks us from attainment of our true selves is a valid problem and shouldn’t be ignored or pushed down or seen as trivial.  It took me all that time to realise I could ask for help for my anxiety.

Every single one of us, no matter what our background or our history, carries some sort of baggage with them.  It’s just human nature.

Sometimes we judge people by what they do or don’t do and by what we might perceive as trivial, but ultimately on the only level that counts, we are all the same, equal, beautiful, valid.

~~~~~

Did you see Caitlin on the Today show?  If you need further proof of our true beauty and validity watch it here!

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