From our waking hours to the closing of our days, we always seem to be doing something. Consumed with progress and achievement, our minds and bodies are in perpetual motion. We’re either planning what to do or making the next move to accomplish some goal. With so much focus on execution, we have a tendency to overvalue the importance of our efforts, that they will leave a mark and be remembered by many. But the reality is the ripples travel beyond our realization, affecting countless individuals and our surroundings. Just because we don’t experience the outcome, doesn’t mean our intentions are not felt.
We often create the craziness surrounding us. In the throes of such bedlam, we ask, Why do we keep doing this to ourselves? While self-sabotage might be a hurdle we have to overcome, it doesn’t explain all our moth-like affinity for the flame. Some of this is simply a need for adventure, some excitement and unpredictability in a too often mundane journey. We just can’t get lost in the turmoil and disorder, or worse, become addicted to it. We must balance the chaos with periods of tranquility. It’s during this equanimity that we’re able to create something useful from it.
Our strengths are our favorite tools. Time and again they’ve served us well when we need them the most. They’ve gotten us through difficulties and helped us achieve our goals. So it’s natural when facing obstacles that we turn to these proven talents first. But what got us here, won’t necessarily get us to where we need to be or want to be next. New situations have different challenges and may require fresh techniques and strategies. We must be willing to adjust and adapt to what is required and not simply rely on that at which we are adept.
We are encouraged to be strategic, have vision, and make decisions for the long term. But the truth is we see only what each choice uncovers. We can look ahead and map out a plan, predicting what will happen, and how we will respond. But the instant we make a decision and act, a new reality is born, and the world we knew only seconds ago has faded. There are no guarantees or absolutes. All we can do is have faith in ourselves and the choices we make, and know, life will offer us the experiences we are meant to have.
Our cares, wants, and worries are all so different when we are happy. The peace we experience assuages the most excessive, and often destructive, cravings and mollifies the nagging, trivial concerns that pervade our day-to-day lives. It is not a great mystery that this is why we spend so much time searching for happiness. Even if only for a few moments, the equanimity we find when engaged and content gives us freedom and independence. We want what we have and have what we want. We no longer question and just accept and appreciate who and where we are.
