You can only give what you have.
If that’s untrue, tell me how.
If that’s true, tell me why you promise more than you can give. Tell me why you promise more than you have.
Tell me.
Does it involve your ego?
You can only give what you have.
If that’s true, tell me why you expect more of yourself than you can give yourself. Tell me why you expect more of yourself than you have.
Tell me.
Does it involve your ego?
I would encourage you, however, not to be too hell-bent on reigning in your ego. And here’s why…
How are you to be content with promising to give only what you have?
Must you not come to believe that what you have is not only enough, but more than enough?
What you can give to yourself and others is quite enormous.
The ego is neutral, neither good nor bad. The ego is not the person. Your ego is not you. It is a marvelous source of “information” to you, but it is not the only source, because you are not only your ego. You’re much more enormous.
If you attempt to give what you do not have in order to feed your ego, here are two very hard truths to swallow: (1) You are acting from your ego, not your heart. (2) Nobody wants or needs your ego. Except you.
Everyone else already has their own ego. What they want to experience from you is all the other parts of you except your ego. They want to see your soul, and they want their soul to be seen by your soul. If you want to give only what you have, and want to believe that what you have is enormous, it seems essential to know both your ego and your soul.
I am convinced we all sense our fakeness, that we have acted so much from our ego for so long, that we are not authentic. If you aren’t convinced of that, then I ask you to tell me again. Is it not impossible to actually give more than you have? 
We know with some form of certainty that our ego is not enough for our own self. 
No one likes to see how much their ego has actually controlled them. No one is thrilled to see their reflection in the mirror of hypocrisy. When we look in that mirror with honest eyes – when we see our ego for what it is – it can make us angry and make us hate our own ego.
Yet, if you are to come to believe that what you have to give is plenty – to know how enormous your power is – you cannot jettison your ego. It has its role to play. Do not neglect it, Do not hate it.
Lift it up into your tender arms and carry it with you.
The full you will not be comfortable leaving that part behind.
See what it is that you can honestly give of yourself. It’s no small thing. Because you aren’t.
.
Neil D. 2023-03-11
RELATED:
Love letter to my ego
My inner dance hall
Feel with Neil 