Dying to Self

Some religious teachings call on believers to “die” to self as a commitment to whomever it is they worship. This “death” can come in different forms. Christians take a figurative approach being referred to as “born again” suggesting that the “old self” has died and we have been made “new” through Christ. Other religions call for a more literal death such as Muslim extremist groups who believe that suicide in the name of Allah is the ultimate sacrifice and that they will be rewarded in Paradise. Regardless of your faith, and even if you have none, dying to self is a necessary task to take control of your mind and to use positive thinking. This excerpt from Vash Young’s A Fortune to Share puts this idea in terms that everyone can relate to and understand regardless of religious beliefs, or lack thereof:

I would like to say that while you may not know it and I may not look it, I am, in reality, fabulously wealthy. And my riches are not the kind that take wings and fly away. My wealth cannot be affected by bank failures, stock market crashes and business depressions. It is permanent and unlimited, so you are all welcome to any part of it you may want.
I acquired this great wealth through the death of an old associate of mine. Now you may think it rather strange for me to tell gleefully about the death of an old friend. But this is one funeral over which I can be very happy, as you will soon see. This old associate had treated me very badly while he lived, but at his death he more than made up for everything. Now I do not mind telling you who this old associate was. He looked just like me and he had the same name as mine. As a matter of fact he was my former self. Yes, after a long suffering illness, my former self finally gave up the ghost and died, and I would like to tell you what was buried with him: Selfishness, pessimism, fear, worry, indecision, regretting the past, doubting the future, stewing about business, being irritable at home, envying the other fellow, slavery to false appetites and desires, and a lot of other junk too numerous to mention. These things were all very definitely buried with my former self. After the funeral the will was read and I found that my new self had inherited the following riches:--  
My inheritance: Unselfishness, optimism, fearlessness, contentment, decision, forgetting the past, confidence in the future, dominion over business troubles, kindness and patience at home, rejoicing in the other fellow’s success, freedom from false appetites and desires, and many other riches of a similar nature. I took this inheritance out into the business world and it made me successful beyond my fondest hopes. I started giving it away to people with whom I came in contact and the more I gave the more I received. It is a fortune I can never deplete, so I am more than happy to share it with you.

Join me as I say "Rest in Peace" to the old me.

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