The greatest force holding back the evolution of human consciousness is not conflict or divisiveness. It is not lack of awareness or understanding. It is not even fear, greed, pride or judgement. The single greatest force holding back your own personal evolution as well as the evolution of the planet is half-heartedness.
Half-heartedness sees a problem, but responds with apathy. Half-heartedness allows large corporations to make decisions that strip the earth of its natural resources. It paves the way for global warming. On a personal level, half-heartedness contributes to obesity and disease. It prevents conversations that could repair a broken marriage or reach a troubled child. Half-heartedness weakens the mind and destroys the spirit, opening the door to addictive behaviors.
In time, families and social structures implode as they are destroyed from the inside out. Like an apple tree with a rotten trunk, its leaves look healthy but it produces little or no fruit.
The remedy for half-heartedness is commitment. Focus on one small area of your life. Like apathy, commitment spreads. As you commit to even the smallest cause, you will be amazed at the way commitment infuses other areas of your life.
Truly devote yourself to your relationships. Many believe that their partner, not their own half-heartedness, is the reason their relationship doesn’t feel fulfilling. Many believe the love for their partner has died. Marriages end because one or both partners think they’ve fallen out of love.
Small, simple acts of devotion re-kindle the spark, not only in their partner’s heart, but in their own heart as well. In long term relationships, love needs to be cultivated. It requires daily commitment to kindness in thought, word, and deed.
If you struggle to even think something kind about your partner, much less doing something for them, try turning it into a game. Each day, choose three simple ways you can express kindness. The next day, choose three different things. Do this for a week and watch the magic happen.
Devotion evokes a sweetness, a tenderness within your heart. Through devotion, you recognize that it is loving, not being loved, that offers true fulfillment.
