As long as Maria is tuned into to Andrea’s needs and feelings and not aware of her own, she will continue to be invisible to Andrea and others. Maria needs to learn to take all consciousness she developed over years regarding others’ feelings and needs and apply that same consciousness to her own feelings and needs. This is a difficult challenge because she has been practicing tuning into others while ignoring herself for her whole life.

I have had this same challenge. It was such a shock to me to discover years ago that, rather than being loving person I thought I was, I was attempting to control how others felt about me by being “nice”. By putting myself aside and doing what I thought others wanted me to do, and being what I thought others wanted me to be, I was trying to control getting love and approval and avoiding disapproval. The result was that I was anxious around others who were important to me, always fearing that I would say or do something wrong and experience rejection I so feared.

When I finally realized that being loving meant being loving to myself as well as to others, I turned my eyes inward and started to practice becoming aware of my own feelings and needs. Instead of making others responsible for defining my worth and lovability through their approval, I took on responsibility of defining my own worth and lovability. I developed a strong connection with a spiritual source of love and wisdom, which helped me to see truth of who I really am. I learned to be an advocate for myself, seeing myself and speaking up for my own feelings and needs rather than making others responsible for seeing me.

I am no longer a “good girl” having to do everything right to please others and gain their approval. I am no longer “nice” as a form of manipulation. That’s not to say that being loving to others is not a very high priority - it is. But now I include myself in equation rather than expecting others to love me enough to feel safe, adequate, worthy and lovable.

Maria is also learning to love herself rather than control others. At one point, she wanted to leave both her job and her relationship, but she realized that she would just continue same patterns in another job or relationship. By staying and learning to see and speak up for herself, her relationships with Andrea and her boyfriend are improving.

The problem with people of modern world is that they are too preoccupied with worries, anxieties, and negative emotions. As a result, they are adversely affecting their state of health.

White lies have become prevalent nowadays in order to ease burdens or to persuade others to do things that they thought are unattainable.

There was once a weightlifter who couldn't lift weights in excess of 300 lbs. So his coach devised a clever idea and told him that barbell he has to carry weighs only 300 lbs. With all his might, weightlifter managed to put it above his head. After he puts it down, coach told him that he has just lifted 350 lbs. of weight! It's all in mind!

A famous person once said, "Whenever you think you can or you can't, you're right."

If you think you are poor, then you are; unless you properly condition your thoughts to positive mindset. I know it's hard to think rich if your environment is not conducive to such way of thinking. Use your imagination then! Visualize your house to be a mansion, your old car to be a limousine,... Well you get picture.

There is absolutely no limit with what mind can achieve. But you have to combine belief, will power, and action with positive thinking in order to arrive at your intended destination.