I was listening to India Arie’s song The Truth the other day. I love this song. The words are so beautiful, and if you’ve 
been in a relationship or are in one, you can feel them in your soul. The words that stood out to me today were these:
If I am a reflection of him, then I must be fly, because his light, it shines so bright…
I don’t know what made me listen to this song today. I was playing around with my ear buds and wanted to make sure I had the rubber covers on right, so I went to the music selection and this was the song I listened to – in its entirety. The buds are positioned just great 😉
Back to the words of the song; they made me emotional. Why? Because I was reminded that life reflects what we put out there. Whether it’s romantic relationships, friendships or work – the people in our lives are a reflection of us. All parts of us.
We get what we give. Character traits we see in others exist within us as well. The more they rub us the wrong way, the more it reveals about ourselves. I don’t believe personality conflicts exist simply to piss us off. I think that they appear to teach us more about ourselves. The question is whether or not we will choose to learn the lesson, or continue to drive ourselves crazy.
It always comes back to us. What attitudes and energy are we putting out into the world? That’s exactly what we’re getting back. If you’re experiencing conflicts with other people, know that it’s a reflection of you as much as it is of them. Are you viewing yourself in a positive light? Treating yourself with love and understanding? When we can do that for ourselves, it is easier to do that for others, and have it reciprocated ten-fold.
It can be so easy to place blame on others. To think that they are the cause of your heartache, disappointment or whatever negative emotion you are experiencing at the moment. The truth is that we are responsible for it all. While we have no control over how others act, we do have control over how we react. You can’t expect others to love, honour and appreciate you if you cannot do it for yourself, never mind trying to do it for others.
If we want to make a change in this world, it has to start with us as individuals. How can we fix the world if our own house isn’t in order? Work on yourself. Become more self-aware. Treat yourself with love and understanding. You’ll be amazed at how your relationships shift when you focus on being the best version of yourself instead of trying to fix everyone else. ♥
