1) Do you always want to be the centre of attraction when you are in a group?
2) Do you tend to boast of your attainments, work, relationships etc.?
3) Do you spend a major part of conversation (with anyone) on criticizing people, things, systems etc and feel good about it?
4) Do you act as a Mr/ Ms Know-it-all?
5) Are you too sensitive towards others opinions of you?
6) Is it difficult for you to acknowledge others virtues, good advice, achievements?
7) Do you say "thank you", "please" and "sorry" easily?
8) Can you easily accept your own mistakes?
9) Are you too conscious of other people judging you?
10) Are you shy to talk in a group?
Some of these questions are contradictory, some reflect extroversion, whereas others introversion. And each one of us will have the answer "yes" in one or a few questions. The important thing to realise here is that a positive answer to any of these questions reflects that a person is insecure, has low self-esteem and is not comfortable in his skin. Also important is to realize that all of us will have some degree of insecurity but i feel that when more than 2 of the above questions are answered as "yes", we need to think.
i am on a long break now (which explains my laziness towards the blog) at my hometown in Ahmedabad where I had a chance to meet and interact with many people. Out of the conversations that we had, one thing was common......... CRITICISMS. I don't know why are we so fond of it and why do we get a sense of satisfaction and gratification from running others down. That reminds me of an anecdote,
An evening school teacher asked his lady students to refrain from talking negative about anything throughout the week. In the next week he asked the ladies, how the week went and what did they talk about. One of the ladies promptly replied, "Sir, there was hardly anything to talk."
Isn't it also true for us? (i m referring equally to men and women :-))
Why are we not comfortable with who we are? why do we keep comparing everything? why cant we accept the simple fact that each one is made different with his strengths and weaknesses, talents etc, and why do we get confidence out of negating others? People who are extremely extrovert or introvert are both insecure and tend to have a bloated ego. It's not wrong but it's certainly wrong not to know about it.
In yoga there is no comparison, no competition with others. To develop the attitude of "Aishwarya" i.e. self confidence, sense of achievement; we have to move ahead and that too by not pulling others down. Criticising is very easy like breaking a glass. But you achieve only when you make a glass, applying heat, moulding and proper cooling....................
Cheers to that!!!
