Do you believe you’re the best person you can be? If you said yes, you probably don’t realize we all require continuous self improvement.
“We say, “A good father is not a good father.” Do you understand? One who thinks he is a good father is not a good father; one who thinks he is a good husband is not a good husband. One who thinks he is one of the worst husbands may be a good one if he is always trying to be a good husband with a single-hearted effort. If you find it impossible to sit because of some pain or some physical difficulty, then you should sit anyway, using a thick cushion or a chair.” ~Shunryū & Dixon Suzuki. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
Although this excerpt is specifically talking about our ability to sit in zazen and meditate, I think it perfectly exemplifies the idea of always improving yourself. You are never at the end, there is always more you can do.
When you claim you’re a good person, a great boyfriend, best friend, caring individual, healthy, whatever, you begin loosing your standards. You risk thinking you no longer have to be better than you are – that you can stop trying.
There isn’t a landmark to reach with these things. You don’t reach a point when you’re a good husband simply because you’ve done a lot of good things. You don’t reach a stage of diet and exercise when you can say “I’m healthy” then cut back on effort. There won’t be a day you’re the best you can be.
Life is a continued process of working on yourself and your methods. You can always do more, you can always be better, you can never give up and expect amazing results. You can believe you’re healthy, caring, smart, loving, etc. but never to a point where you think you’re done.
“i’m healthy” will turn into “I’m healthy and feel good, but I can still improve.” . “I’m a good husband” is not enough. It’s not enough until it becomes “I’m a good husband and want to continue becoming a better, more loving one.”
Our journey is never complete. Always try your best to improve any and every aspect of your life and relationships. You can always be better. You have to be willing to ask yourself if there’s something you’re doing wrong or that you can improve on.
December 19, 2022
