I have never successfully solved one problem in my life by obsessing, controlling, or worrying. Trust me, I’ve tried!
Note: This post jumps into philosophy and may seem poetically abstract at times, then I add some suggested footwork towards the end.
The best possible outcomes happen when I make mindful effort towards the next right step – and then let go and let the Universe do its thing. Naturally, I don’t always get my way, but sometimes, that’s a good thing.
A paradox of mindful living is that in order to change any situation, you must first accept it the way it is.
Accepting something doesn’t mean you have to agree with it or like it. Acceptance is about sedating the ego and releasing the tension of negative energy surrounding the situation.
In order to move forward, we first make peace with what we are presently experiencing and let go of any attachments to desired outcomes.
Absolutely nothing in this Universe remains static.
The dynamic nature of existence means everything in life, all phenomena, is constantly changing at every moment. Unnecessary suffering comes as a result of resisting change, which is the very nature of existence.
Mindful living provides a lens that allows us to truly see the world as it really is, in this moment, experiencing it without expectation and then letting it go. When we accept the fact that everything in the Universe changes, we are allowed to release our attachments and move with the flow of the Universe.
Life isn’t meant to be permanent, it is meant to be experienced.
Through mindfulness, we can see there are many ways that we actively contribute to our own mental unrest by not letting go.
All too often, we keep our emotional pain alive by replaying and magnifying our hurts over and over again in our minds.
It’s as if by re-experiencing our painful memories, we unconsciously wish this will somehow change the past. But that can never happen, so this causes unnecessary suffering in the human experience. For many of us, in a twisted way, we enjoy this excitement and drama or sympathy from others, and become drawn to pain like a moth to a flame.
Live and let go. Laugh and let go. Love and let go.
Life isn’t meant to be agonizing, it is meant to be adored.
Explore the deepest, most abstract regions of the human condition through the vehicles of meditation and self-reflection. We wake up to deeper and deeper levels of truth with each application.
“Only in quiet waters do things present themselves undistorted. Only in a quiet mind is perception of the world effectively illuminated.”
Cry and let go. Forgive and let go. Love and let go.
All of this sounds quite lovely Chris, but how do I do this? Where do I start?
First, Build Pockets of Stillness Into Your Life
Meditate. Daily. Go for walks. Daily. Get out in nature, and get lost in the beauty. Whenever you can.
We provide inner space for insight to come to us when we quiet the noise in between our ears, and stop actively trying to process, judge, and label everything around us. This is where the engine of inspiration and manifestation gets tuned up.
Begin to realize that being productive is better than being busy, and that being fully present is more rewarding than being productive.
Let’s not mistake productivity with being “busy.” They are not the same by any means, and it seems most of us are more busy than productive these days. Being effective versus productive is optimal, however. And being present is being effective.
I enjoy the feeling of being productive. It is a part of our cultural social conditioning that has its place in my life. It gives me a sense of exhilaration, forward movement, and evolution. Unfortunately, our culture measures our worth as human beings by our achievements, our finances, and our ability to bring something to the table.
This misguided and obscure lens that we use to find happiness robs us of the very capacity for a particular kind of joy that makes life worth living (positive psychology 101).
We can decide to be effective, instead of productive.
Why hurry through life as most do? We can choose to participate with the flow of time and not become a slave to the daily grind. Savor this sacred gift of existence to devote more of our time to observation, leisure, and learning.
Most of all, slow down, and learn to be still.
Reflection on the past and planning the future are essential to our progression in life. The challenge is to not live in the past or future and get stuck there. Experience shows that this can become problematic, and almost always results in multiple expressions of fear and anxiety.
The ideal space to live is in the present.
This is the place where everything in existence is always happening, where we have the power to create action and affect change.