My Experience: Sarah Maria is a body-image expert who helps people learn how to love their bodies and love their lives. Her book, Love Your Body, Love Your Life, will be available in November '09. She combines ancient spiritual wisdom with modern transformational techniques to help people create a body and a life that they love. Her work has been endorsed by well-known authors and spiritual teachers, including Deepak Chopra and Marci Shimoff (featured teacher in The Secret), among others, as well as by numerous physicians and psychologists. Learn more about her and her work at www.breakfreebauty.com.
Description:

The most important element in creating what you want in life is to know that you are capable of it, that you are worthy of it, that you deserve it. The world is as we are, meaning that the world is a projection of our consciousness. If we believe ourselves to be great, we will create greatness. If we believe ourselves to be inadequate - we will create inadequacy.

This is not about being egotistic or being full of yourself. This only occurs when you think you are better than someone else. We tend to think of ourselves relative to other people, thereby judging ourselves and judging other people. When we compare ourselves to other people, we lose. It is often said “comparison is a loser’s game”, and nothing could be more true. Many of us our afraid of experiencing our own greatness because we are concerned about the voices that will accompany our success:”I am smarter than he is”
“I am more successful than she is”
“I am sexier than she is”
“I have more money and a better education”
Etc., etc., etc.

Feeling insecure is simply the flip side of this coin:

“He is more successful than I am”
“She has a better body”
“She is more successful - why would she be interested in what I have to say?”
“He has more money, more fame, and more prestige - why would he want to talk to me?”
Etc, etc., etc.

As long as we live in this world, we suffer. Period. If we happen to be on the “successful” side of the equation and comparing ourselves to others who are perceived to be “less”, it cuts us off from potential love, connection, and insight. We create filters that skew our vision, preventing us from seeing the beauty or the greatness that might be standing right in front of us.

If we are on the “less successful” side of the equation, we suffer as well. Nothing will create pain faster than comparing yourself to someone else and deciding you come up short. Nothing. Yet it is something that many of us do all the time. When we feel inadequate or less accomplished, we are less willing to take chances, ask for what we need, set big goals, and claim the life of our dreams. We give other people power over us, simply because we perceive them as being smarter, prettier, or more successful than we are. Not fun. At all.

The solution? Step out of the paradigm all together. Step out of the comparison game and step into the greatness that knows no boundaries. Step into the greatness that is limitless and discover that you can be great, and everyone else can be great as well.

Here is how it works:

When you notice yourself comparing yourself to other people, simply notice it.Become aware. No need to judge yourself or create a whole story about how you shouldn’t be doing it - this just adds another layer to the angst. Instead, simply notice it. Become the witness to your experience. This helps to create detachment, so you no longer need to be bound by the stories in your head. As you cultivate this practice of witnessing awareness, the ceaseless chatter begins to drop away of its own accord, and it loses its power to control your life.

Next, shift your focus to who you truly are. At your essence, you are eternal and unbounded, omnipotent and omniscience. You are the wisdom and intelligence of the universe manifesting as a human being. You are beyond the body-mind, in fact your are the creator of the body mind. You are the very power that creates worlds. You are this power, and everyone else is this power as well. When you live in this realm, you realize that there are no divisions, only unity that binds each and every one of us.

As you discover this truth, you can begin to tell a different story. You can tell a story of your greatness, your wisdom, and your triumph. You can begin to tell a story of your beauty and your grace, your power and your strength. It can be a story that extols your perfection, as well as the perfection of everyone else as well, because you will know that at our essence we are all expressions of each other.

Once you begin to tell a different story, you can begin to create a different life.Our lives are an expression of the stories we tell ourselves. When you connect with your source of power, you will discover that you can create whatever story you want, and you can create whatever life you want. Connect with your source of power and you will find the beauty that awaits you once you step outside of the comparison game.

Just to re-iterate, here are the steps:

1.) Simply observe the mental chatter
2.) Focus on the truth of who you are
3.) Tell a different story
4.) Create a new life based on that story

Recognize your greatness; embrace and overcome insecurity, and discover that you have the power to create a life that you love.