"We need to make friends with what we reject, what we see as "bad" in ourselves and in other people. We must not only tolerate what we find painful, but actually approach it more deeply, more wholeheartedly rather than trying to escape from it. The only way to do this successfully is with an open heart, letting it soften you. This way you are not attacking it or seeking to eradicate it, but instead embracing it. For only then will it serve the purpose for which it exists and can reveal to you the gift hidden within it.
Identify something you reject in yourself or in another and take it into your heart. Let it speak to you and reveal its teaching, blessing or energy."
Source: The Soul Journey
Well, it sounds easy, doesn't it?
Letting those irritating things in ourselves and others speak to us is one thing . . . they already speak volumes to me! The trick is allowing it to reveal its blessing in our lives when it is painful or a major irritation robbing us of peace and happiness.
It seems to me that it is all in the perspective in which it is approached. A positive thinker will embrace the hidden gift rather quickly, while the negative thinker will see it as an impossible task.
The negative thinker will just want to sweep it under the rug and either ignore it completely, hoping it will just go away or complain about it, declaring that life is just not fair and hoping that since they are entitled to be happy, the situation or the trait will just go away. Guess what? It won't!
There are many levels and aspects of this concept. While seeking the hidden gifts in our own flaws may be an achievable task, it is quite a different story when it comes to another person. Disagreements in a relationship usually have so many layers, they get convoluted when combined with personality traits.
Perhaps the way to first approach the situation is to envision the end result in a compassionate and positive manner . . . peace and happiness. Ask yourself the right questions . . . "how can peace and happiness be achieved in this situation?" . . . take each identifying factor individually rather than combined with everything else.
When it comes to evaluating and analyzing the irritating thing involving someone else, make sure that all bitterness and anger of the situation is set aside before even attempting to think about it positively.
All in all, I found this concept very interesting and can prove to be an insightful way to look at life situations and those special people in our lives. We are all special and unique individuals with our gifts (whether they be hidden or not) that others find pleasant and attractive which also comes with those things that are irritating!
Love yourself and those you love enough to find those hidden gifts!
