Not many people will tell us what they really think about us. Neither do they give sincere opinions on issues that affect us. It is not wholly their fault though. The ones who dare to correct us always get a lashing because of our natural human instinct to be defensive. We will not have the grace to apologize and ask for forgiveness even if we know that they are right, resulting in a ruined or diluted relationship. That is the work of our almighty ego.

To know yourself, you need to turn your eyes inwards. Listen to what your inner being has to say. It is a lot, if you have the patience to learn how to, and the time to listen. You get to know and understand the maze that is your internal landscape, as intimately as a crippled person gets to know his crutches.

One of the most useful decisions in your life is to accept and love yourself for the person you are. This enables you to give yourself another shot at a more meaningful life. Choose to have God take care of those things that might be humanly impossible for you to achieve. Carefully select friends and family members to lend a helping hand in your endeavor. These are your allies.

Show some results and give your allies a reason to be on your side. The winning team!

Avoid jumping into the swimming pool in a rain jacket! Choose the right tools for the job: Like patience, persistence and perseverance, among other virtues.

It is allowed to look back and give yourself a pat on the back whenever you deserve it. Don’t break your arm in the process though; we still have a war to win. Be gentle with yourself. Don’t beat yourself up over slip-ups. Everyone makes mistakes.

There is need for a balance at the physical, mental and spiritual levels. Seek it.

Everyone that is in this race has a distance to cover. It varies from person to person. As you already know by now, life dishes out favors to different individuals in unequal quantities. But believe me, yours is not the hardest life!

One thing is for sure though. No matter how long the distance you have to cover, or how slow the progress might be, it is a race that is worth participating in. Stay in it!

Thanks for being there to listen.

And all the best in your efforts.