From Money to Beauty: How Our Attachment to Power Symbols Can Affect Our Well-Being
Have you ever noticed how our lives seem to revolve around certain things? Things like money, power, beauty, or even just feeling secure? These are what Caroline Myss calls "power symbols" - they're the things that we give a lot of importance to in our lives.
Think about it: we work hard to make money, we strive for positions of authority or titles that make us feel important, we spend time and money on beauty products to look our best, and we make sure to lock our doors at night for that sense of security.
But here's the thing: are these power symbols really making us happy? Or are we just chasing after them because we think they're what we're supposed to want?
Let’s dive into each of these power symbols individually.
According to Myss, power symbols are things that we give power to, such as money, authority, title, beauty, and security. These symbols structure our lives, and our attachment to them can influence our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Money is a common power symbol that many people chase after. It provides a sense of security, status, and freedom. But our attachment to it can also cause stress, anxiety, and greed. We may feel like we are not successful or valuable if we don't have enough money, or we may become obsessed with accumulating wealth at the expense of our well-being.
Authority and title, similarly, can give us a sense of importance and respect. We may strive to climb the corporate ladder or gain recognition in our field, thinking that this will bring us happiness and fulfillment. But our attachment to these symbols can also make us overly competitive, insecure, or arrogant. We may compromise our values or neglect our relationships in the pursuit of power.
Beauty is another power symbol that is heavily marketed in our culture. We are bombarded with images of perfect bodies, flawless skin, and trendy fashion. We may feel like we have to conform to certain standards of beauty to be accepted or loved. But our attachment to external appearances can also lead to self-judgment, comparison, and body shame. We may lose sight of our inner qualities and strengths that make us unique and valuable.
Security is perhaps the most primal power symbol of all. We all want to feel safe and protected in our lives. We may seek security in our jobs, relationships, possessions, or beliefs. But our attachment to security can also make us fearful, rigid, and closed-minded. We may resist change or take unnecessary risks to avoid discomfort or uncertainty.
So what can we do to become aware of our power symbols and their impact on our lives? Myss suggests that we need to cultivate a sense of inner power that comes from our connection to our inner selves and the divine. When we are aligned with our true values, passions, and purpose, we can transcend our attachment to external symbols and find true fulfillment.
This requires doing the inner work of emotional processing and self-awareness. We need to examine our beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors around power symbols and how they relate to our past experiences and traumas. We need to learn how to regulate our nervous system and manage our emotions so that we can respond to life from a place of empowerment rather than reactivity.
We also need to cultivate a sense of humility and gratitude for the gifts and blessings that we already have in our lives. We need to focus on our inner qualities and strengths that make us valuable and worthy, rather than on external symbols that are fleeting and conditional.
It's not always easy to break free from societal expectations and focus on what truly matters to us, but it's worth it in the end. After all, what good is a fancy title or a big bank account if we're not actually healthy or enjoying our lives?