One of the biggest secrets we try to keep is a sense of autonomy and pride. The idea or feeling that you are important in some special way, that you are loved by a special person, that somebody is giving you special attention, these are some of the ego’s very subtle secrets. We are trying to hide our Divine Self and are playing all these different games, which seem to be very upsetting. It is pretty depressing and it really doesn’t go anywhere, so we try to get scraps of special love, attention and recognition to prop ourselves a course in miracles.

We work so hard at becoming “better people”, at gaining greater intelligence and more skills. We want to be liked more and be more popular. The entire self-help industry is focused on improving the self so you can become a better you. That is another trick we secretly play on ourselves, thinking we have to keep spinning our wheels trying to become better. This self-improvement game is another secret we can to learn to let go of. It is very relaxing when you start to realize that you do not have to become any better than you already are. You were created perfect. It is not through self-improvement that you find peace but through self-acceptance.