“We all struggle at times with the fear that we may be our own worst enemy. Even if we put on a bold face for the world, we often inwardly hear a chorus of voices expressing regret, shame, doubt, and loneliness. No matter how tired we are of this gloomy self-talk, it never seems to go away. If only we could swap out this pessimistic, defeated spirit for one that is victorious over life’s fray! This is a common feeling that most of us have had at one time or another. In spiritual terminology, the longing we’re experiencing is to “die to ourselves.” This total surrender of the selfish “I” means letting go of the ego that overwhelms us with its anxieties, allowing it to be replaced by our real selves, the true identity that lies at the heart of each of us.”