Distorted Thinking
?There?s nowhere you can be that isn?t where you?re meant to be?? ? John Lennon
Why do we wish away the present moment hoping for something better?
Our inattentiveness creates anguish and disappointment, because we?re certain when we get what we want, we?ll be happy.
Yet, when it arrives there?s another desire waiting to take its place.
We?re in the business of wanting more since it is human nature to seek what is lacking in our lives.
The problem is, we become fixated on wanting and desiring, instead of appreciating what is before us. Hence the cycle of suffering ensues.
If we consider the present moment as perfect, what is meant to be will find its way into your life effortlessly.
To accept this moment means to appreciate that your present circumstances result from past thoughts and actions.
I?m not suggesting you abandon your desires, rather consider them in a new light.
?One conscious moment of introspection can yield huge lifelong benefits; simply by breaking old patterns of disbelief, and courageously believing ? knowing ? that you are meant to be here, and that your life has meaning,? states author Robbie Vorhaus in One Less. One More.
Have you noticed when you hope for something, it seldom occurs as you expect? However, the moment you surrender, it makes its way into your life with little worry.
Most fears stem from expecting life to develop in a particular way. When it fails to materialise, we experience disappointment.
Surely there?s a better way?
It was Albert Einstein who said, ?We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.? Our distorted thinking is the cause of our problems, so we must transform them to create a better outcome.
We cannot change outside circumstances to please us, so we must change our response to the events.
Embrace Your Conditions
?Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.? ? Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
Life is not the source of your unhappiness, because reality constantly changes. When outside conditions are not to your liking you are less than satisfied.
What if you were to reinterpret the unpleasant events of your life?
Every event has the potential to teach you something about your life story. It conveys the wisdom to create a compelling narrative, if you acknowledge your circumstances with openness.
Whether you?re a determinist, a fatalist or believe in free will, there?s an inherent order to life devoid of your control.
Speak to anyone who?s been in a motor vehicle accident and they?ll tell you their world was uprooted in the blink of an eye. Life can change at the drop of a hat, so you ought to be attentive to what you value most.
What is meant to be invites you to let go of the mental struggle that opposes the natural flow of life.
?Some of us might feel that pursuing thoughts of ?what might have been? can only focus us on the randomness of the events and thus make it more difficult for us to accept what is. But studies have found the opposite. Rather than eliciting a sense of randomness, thoughts that consider alternatives to the factual realities we?ve experienced (known as counterfactuals) can help us feel like the events were predestined and meant to be, thereby lending them greater meaning,? writes author Guy Winch.
Not that you need my assurance, however, life knows what it is doing.
I know you may find it difficult to grasp when caught up in unpleasant conditions. Yet life proceeds regardless of your resistance to it.
Through your willingness to embrace your conditions, however painful, you consent to be a co-creator to the experience of life.
Looking back, you no doubt faced setbacks and found your way through them. You developed courage and a compelling inner resolve that firmed your character.
Major change is often precipitated by chaos and disorder, which gives birth to something wonderful. I remind you of the big bang responsible for creating the universe.
Your arrival into this world is attributed to a similar event. Your birth-mother no doubt underwent protracted labour to give life to the person you call ?I.?
Be Present And Attentive
?Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.? ? Ralph Waldo Emerson
From agony arises creation and so with your pain.
Consider the events leading to your birth. Reflect on your parents? meeting and the unforeseen circumstances that may have derailed their union. Irrespective of your conception, your birth is a miraculous testimony that life has your back.
I admire the quote by psychotherapist David Richo who states, ?To say yes to this given is to trust that the universe has a plan for us and that things are unfolding in this life just in time for us to grow into the beings we were meant to be. This is the Buddhist concept of karma as meaningful coincidence. Our own plans are based on our limited knowledge. The fact that things happen beyond our control and lead us to new vistas means that grace has come into play.?
Everything happens for a reason, yet you may not be privy to the reasons until the entire picture is formed. Sometimes, you don?t realise it in this lifetime. Yet, take comfort in a greater intelligence guiding every facet of your life and the billions of people on this planet.
How do you allow fate to find its way into your life without despairing?
Trust that life supports your needs and will continue to do so as long as you maintain faith. It may not unfold how you imagine it, but believe in this benevolent force, regardless.
Trust in the language of the heart and sense your way through life.
So, when a condition arises that does not match your mental picture, move into your heart and consider the greater lesson contained within the experience.
Life is self-serving, because you are the embodiment of life. The universe expresses itself through you since it cannot perceive the material realm without a user.
You are the user and the experiencer, ushering life through you.
So stop wishing away the present moment, hoping for something better and be present and attentive to your surroundings.
Afterall, what is meant to be will always find a way into your life, whether you consent to it or not.
