The Power of Becoming

 The Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata offers a directive for the human spirit:

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् । 

आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥

Uddhared ātmanātmānaṃ nātmānam avasādayet | 

Atmaiva hyātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ ||

Which means that ‘Elevate yourself by your own effort; do not let yourself degrade. You are your own greatest friend, and you are your own greatest enemy.’

While every other living being is bound by instinct and the limits of its biology, people possess the unique, defiant ability to look at our circumstances and wish to keep improving. 

To refuse to be where we are and stay there is the power of becoming. This gives us the power to overcome our fears, and try to reach for a version of ourselves that does not exist. 

Lean into that restless dissatisfaction within you. Many times, this urge to keep improving is the spark of greatness telling you that you were meant for more than just existing - you are meant for evolving.