Life is a delicate process of working to better ourselves. Sometimes this entails healing pieces of ourselves to allow that betterment to unfold. Other times, it means stretching ourselves into new levels by shining light and bringing forth our good qualities. Lately, I’ve been noticing how people reflect these pieces of the process back to us through their behaviors and characteristics.
I recently had a situation come up where someone was reflecting some negative traits to me that used to be part of my past life as an addict and alcoholic. I used to be rather self-centered, inconsiderate and disrespectful towards other people and their feelings in my hay day. Whether this person’s behavior was of that intent or not, what was coming up for me and what I was seeing in them was a reminder or reflection of my own past behaviors. This particular reflection called me to a place where I realized that I needed to do some extra healing work and reconciliation to move forward from those memories I had tucked away below the surface.
On the flip side, I also had a recent run-in with someone who exuded confidence, boldness, success and empowerment. I was instantly drawn to this person because I was recognizing those qualities that I have inside myself which could be improved upon. Sometimes a reflection can be a mirror to abilities we have inside of us but we may be playing too small in. I noticed those qualities about this person and it gave me a newfound motivation to bring forth those same capabilities in myself and to strive to reach new levels in those areas.
This notion has been a prevalent theme in my life recently and what I’ve been learning is that what we see in others is a reflection of ourselves.
Understanding Reflections
Everything we see brings with it the opportunity to see ourselves inside of it if we are willing to look closely. The reflections we see from other people, even if only subconsciously, can strike chords inside of us that are sometimes faint and other times roar very loudly.
With each mirror comes the divine chance to dig deeper into ourselves to call forth something better within us or to bandage a broken piece of us.
The Mirror Is A Teacher
Every person in our lives has the opportunity to be a great teacher and each is likely mirroring something back to us. The mirror could be displaying a quality that we desire to acquire more of or it could be showing us characteristics that may make us uncomfortable. Either way, it reflects something that exists inside of us. The reflection is the call to bring it forth, good or bad, and resolve to work through the lesson inside of it.
Let us not forget that we are also mirrors to others and things that they see inside of us give them their own reflections to admire and grow from. For example, I have a lot of people who are drawn to me because I’m sober and they crave a healthier lifestyle. I’ve found that most people living the party lifestyle secretly wish they were living more in line with the depth of their actual potential which tends to lend itself to putting the party scene away. People cross my path as their curiosity desires a taste of the sober life.
How Reflections Work
Everyone we meet is reflecting something back to us. Each person that comes into our life is placed there for reasons beyond our knowing. Sometimes it takes a little while for us to recognize what exactly it is that they are reflecting to us, but in time and as long as were paying attention to it, we can begin to recognize the reflections that we need to see.
Ironically, the darkest corners of someone else can actually shine a light into areas of our lives that we need to work on. This could be to bring forth something stronger inside of us like confidence or to summon us to work on a weakness such as narcissism.
Reflections come in the form of triggers. When we see a negative reflection of ourselves, we may feel anger or sadness. When we see a positive reflection of something we desire, we tend to feel excited or motivated. Pay attention to the emotional clues and learn the language of reflective triggering. The closer we look, the more our perspective changes and the higher we are able to elevate ourselves.
Working With Our Reflections
It takes some practice but it’s something that we can all work on and master if we put our mind to it. Ultimately, the reflections we see from other people are invitations for us to grow. This growth could come in the form of stepping into potential inside of us that’s not being used. Growth can also mean having acceptance for ourselves in areas that we need to improve. These reflections also help us to realize that life is not about being perfect, but rather seeing that we are all connected by our imperfections. This comes by recognizing our counterparts in other people’s mirrors.
My belief is that these reflections are fruits of the spirit inside of us. I believe God intricately places people on our path as He is ready for us to learn lessons and to develop more of our character. If you’re having situations arise in your life that you’re extremely drawn or opposed to, pray that you will have eyes to see the reflections. Pray for clarity and for your heart to be pressed on so that you can do the necessary work to receive the enlightenment of the reflection. Reflections are often a container for some of our biggest breakthroughs.
Shifting Our Perspective
Take some time to pay attention to the people in your life and those surrounding you. Also look closely at the people you are attracted to. When you are magnetized to someone take a look at what it is that you’re attracted to in them. From there understand that what you’re attracted to, you likely also have inside of you.
Additionally, take notice of the things people do that get on your nerves because that is an indication of a teacher at your doorstep. These people serve as mirrors to us and help us uncover what needs to be revealed about ourselves. Seeing characteristics we dislike in others helps us to take a deeper look inside ourselves for similar traits or challenges that may need some loving attention, adjusting, or changing.
Everyone around us is reflecting something to us if we look hard enough to find it. Each person offers us the chance to grow, learn, and excel into better versions of ourselves. We can learn so much from other people if we tap into a new way of thinking and a new way of looking at things. Usually this means we must look into the mirror of someone else and take a genuine and honest look at what they are reflecting back to us. With this shift in perspective, we begin to see people for who they are and it offers us a better understanding of who we are as well. It also allows us to move into a space of gratitude for each person that comes into our path for they are there to help shape us into who we were meant to be.
As we move through life and the lessons it reveals to us, we move closer to our truest self, our most authentic being and ultimately to the level of success we were designed for. But we have to be willing to suit up and do the work that it takes to keep reaching for those new levels. Understanding reflections we receive from others can lead us to grow in areas that help us excel and bust through blocks that keep us stuck.
To get there, we must honestly ask: Are we ready to see our reflection in the mirrors of our lives? Are we willing to accept what we see as an invitation to step into more greatness? Give this a try in your life and let me know how it goes in the comments section of the blog. I’m curios to hear your experiences with reflections from others. Namaste MABers!
Photo Credit: Mr007