It has been said that everyone on this planet is a teacher on one hand and student on the other. Based on this, it is a two way process, and if one doesn’t have this outlook, they are likely to be out of balance.

In this case, one could believe that other people are here to learn from them or they could believe that they have nothing to offer the world. Therefore, one could see themselves as being above their fellow human beings or they could see themselves as being below them.

Balance

The ideal will be for one to have a balanced perspective, as this will allow them to be at the same level. Now, this is not to say that one will learn something from someone else and then they will learn something from them, as it won’t be this black and white.

What it is likely to come down to is that over the course of their life, they will have taken in information from others and other people will have taken information in from them. At times one may realise that they are learning something and at other times they might not.

Facing Reality

But regardless of how often one learns something from others; they are not going to act as though they have more to give than other people do. And through having this outlook, there is the chance that it will be a lot easier for them to grow and develop.

It then won’t matter what their profession is, as their mind will be open, so to speak. This is not to say that other people will always notice this, and this is because they could hold a certain position in society.

From The Outside

For example, one could be a teacher and there could then be a number of people who see them as having all the answers. In their eyes, other people are there to learn from them and not the other way around.

When it comes to what these people are learning about, one is likely to have a deep understanding; but this doesn’t mean that they know everything. So through being caught up in what one does know it can then stop them from seeing that they are only human.

Natural

One way of looking at this would be to say that this is simply part of being human. When someone admires another, they can end up putting them on a pedestal, and then as time passes; they can gradually come to see that they don’t know everything.

This is something that can take place when someone hasn’t developed certain parts of themselves; the parts of themselves that are waiting to be developed end up being projected onto the teacher (or anyone else for that matter). When someone comes back down to earth they could realise what has taken place, or they could end up feeling betrayed and direct their pain outwards, for instance.

Part of Life

However, no matter how much one knows, they will know how important it is to keep their feet on the floor. Learning will be similar to eating, in as much as it will be something that takes place every day.

And through being in a position where they know that they have something to offer the world, it is likely to have a positive effect on how they feel about themselves. Whereas if one believed that they had nothing to offer, this might not be the case.

One Option

One way of looking at this would be to say that one doesn’t value themselves, and this then sets them up to have an inaccurate outlook. Not only does this stop them from having a functional idea of themselves; it also causes them to have a dysfunctional view of others.

This shows that one is not resisting what is taking place within them and that it is defining their life. One option would be for them to reach out for support and through receiving this support, they will gradually realise that what is taking place within them doesn’t reflect their true nature.

The Result

After this has occurred, one will see that they do have something to offer the world, and this may mean that they end up becoming a teacher. One could teach at a school or a college, or they could teach through giving talks or running a class, for instance,

What this shows is that one can take a more traditional path or they can carve out their own path. Having said that, one might night not want to become a teacher, and they may prefer to share what they know in other ways.

Another Route

At the same time, even though one doesn’t value themselves it doesn’t mean that they won’t resist how they feel. And if this was to take place, one could end up going to the other extreme and feel as though they have more to offer than anyone else.

Through having this outlook one may end up being drawn to teaching, and this can be seen as a way for them to get the appreciation they deserve. In this kind of environment other people are likely to look up to them, and one may believe that this is how other people should respond towards them.

Teaching

On one hand, this could mean that they will end up working at a school or a college, and on the other hand, this can mean that they will run workshops or teach on a one-to-one basis. In fact, one could end up doing a number of things and this will allow them to receive a steady flow of validation.

The majority of people they come across will be their students and this will put them in a position of power. But even when they spend time with their friends or family , for instance, they could still act like a teacher.

Toxic Shame

When one experiences life in this way, it is likely to be a sign that they are out of touch with their healthy shame. Whereas the toxic shame that is within them is defining their life and until this changes, it is not going to be possible for them to realise they are no better or worse than anyone else.

What this can show is that there was a time in their life where they experienced some kind of abuse and/or neglect. These experiences would have caused them to feel worthless and as way to avoid feeling this way, they ended up developing a false-self.

Awareness

If one was to deal with what is taking place within them it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will no longer teach; what it can mean is that they will no longer see themselves superior and their personal relationships could also change. So instead of spending time with people who are like their children, they may prefer to spend time with people who are at the same level, so to speak.

One way for them to move forward will be to work with a therapist and/or a support group.

Author's Bio: 

Prolific writer, author and coach, Oliver JR Cooper hails from the United Kingdom. His insightful commentary and analysis covers all aspects of human transformation; love, partnership, self-love, and inner awareness. With over nine hundred in-depth articles highlighting human psychology and behavior, Oliver offers hope along with his sound advice. Current projects include "A Dialogue With The Heart" and "Communication Made Easy."

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