“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

This quote has been attributed to Plato, Philo of Alexandria, Ian MacLaren and John Watson among others. The source of the quote is not as important as its message.

Yet, there is another phrase which Spirit places before me when I meditated upon this concept, and that is: “Choose your battles wisely.”

Sure, we’re all struggling and fighting one thing or another, but is this fight, this battle, really necessary? We are so often caught up in the principle of the matter that we lose sight of our true priorities and the matter’s real importance and effect on us.

To find clarity on the matter, you can try asking yourself these questions:

• Is this really my battle to fight?
• Is this a distraction?
• Is it truly that important?

“Is this really my battle?” you ask yourself.  Sometimes we allow ourselves to get so wrapped up in external emotional stimuli in our environment that we find ourselves beating our breasts passionately over something we ultimately care nothing about;  other times we fight the battle to help another person.  Realize that when we fight another’s battles, we might be limiting their own personal growth, soul evolution and karmic balancing.

“Is this a distraction?” You know, it may well be.  There are times at which we champion the cause because it is easier to do so than to examine painful inner conflicts that might be begging for our attention.  Ego/conscious mind does not want us to do anything that could disrupt its control, but our subconscious has a delightful way of bringing matters to the surface, including projecting them onto our outer world.

“Is it truly that important?”  Probably not.  We can spend our entire lives putting out small fires, only to find ourselves consumed by the raging inferno caused by things left unattended on the ‘back burner’.  It is important we examine our priorities and ask – “Can this wait? Will this negatively affect my life in a day, week, month, etc. if I leave it unchecked?”  You’d be amazed at the number of things that actually don’t matter, they simply wear a mask of urgency and self-importance.

If asking these questions does not result in enlightenment or solution, step outside the matter.  View this matter as though it were occurring to someone else – what advice would you give them?  You can also try running it all by a trusted friend, counselor or anyone who is willing to lend an ear! (angels appear in many forms 🙂 )

When you tire of chewing on all these mental bones, another alternative exists:  hand it over to the universe, “give it to God”:

“I release this burden into the hands of the Universe – if this is truly the right battle to fight, if this is truly a just cause and part of my soul path, my destiny and spiritual mission, then place it back in front of me and give me the strength, clarity and focus needed to succeed.”

A little wordy, yes, but certainly conveys the right message and you can alter the phrasing as you see fit.

Remember, ultimately, reality is a mirror which reflects our own inner workings, conflicts and attitudes – if you feel drawn to outer conflict, you might simply need to look within to find resolution.

May all your victories be bright, joyous and fulfilling!