"Even though insecurity is just another thought, it can be very powerful when taken seriously. Most of the problems we create for ourselves are based on the illusion of insecurity. In other words, if someone says or does something that hurts you, it is because of his or her insecurity. The fact that you feel hurt is due to your own insecurity. Why would you feel hurt about what someone else says or does unless your thought system is taking his or her thoughts seriously?
"Thought-provoked insecurity, whether conscious or subconscious, may appear in the form of aggressiveness, shyness, drug-abuse, self-righteousness, selfishness, feelings of inadequacy, the need to prove self-worth through achievements, or any other misbehavior designed to over-compensate for the illusion of insecurity. Temporary relief might be found through achievements or other forms of compensation, but it doesn't last. From your heart, you won't judge these behaviors; you will understand.
"Illusionary insecurity may lead you to adopt the belief systems of others or to imagine that others are the source of your self-worth. It is easy to see how this occurs when we are young. We want so much to be loved and to belong. We don't know any better than to listen to our parents, who too often are coming from their thought systems.
"The teen years often present a vulnerable time because adolescents want so much to fit in. And when teenagers cave in to peer pressure, they relinquish their ability to listen to their inner wisdom. What a difference it could make for them to understand the four principles.
"Many positive behaviors also are motivated by insecurity from the thought system. Pleasers (approval junkies) do loving things for others to buy love. Power mongers may engage in positive actions to serve their purposes.
"The illusion of insecurity is strongly connected to the ego's need for self-importance, which is an impossible route to happiness and serenity. When you get off track into your thought system, notice how often the detour is related to proving your self-worth. It can be overwhelming just to think about all the antics we go through in life to prove something that has no need to be proven."
