Many of life’s hardships come from our own attitudes. When we refuse to accept what is, and try to deny, change, or reject the events or realities of life, we create dissonance in ourselves and in the space around us, rippling out into the world and reflecting back to us more of the same. Like ripples in a pond, what we send out eventually returns to us, over and over again, until we make a new choice. Thus, our lives can be either a raging river, full of white water crashing against obstacles in our way, wearing away the banks and creating deeper crevices all around us, or, through acceptance and faith in ourselves, our lives can become placid, gently flowing over and around those same obstacles without disturbance, feeding and nourishing everything it comes into contact with.
The serenity and peace of simple acceptance is a beautiful place to start calming our inner turmoil and begin to flow through our lives more gently, with care and purpose. So, step one of living a more serene life is to simply accept events, people, and everything about ourselves and our surroundings, for what it is. And part of that acceptance is to embrace it all. Everything in your life is there for you. Not to torture you or hurt you, but as part of your unique experience and personal journey.
When I approach an obstacle with the attitude of curiosity instead of dread, it makes all the difference in how it affects me. When I look into the future with the confidence of knowing I will get past whatever seems to be in my way, it turns a problem into an opportunity. Like climbing a set of steps, I know that once I reach the level above this obstacle, my view will be all the more expansive. I cannot go higher without surmounting each step as it comes, and therefore I can embrace each one as it comes. That does not mean it will be easy, but our attitude toward our issues makes all the difference.
How boring life would be if there were nothing in the way! Our lives would quickly grow stagnant and fetid without the constant stimulation our lives so fully provide! How beautiful the pebbles, fish, and plants are that grow and are polished and nourished by the gentle flow of a stream that is constant and gentle with them.
I hope these words help to encourage you to try to be a little less rigid, a little more flexible, and a lot more confident in yourself as you go through your days. Don’t beat yourself up against your obstacles. Polish them, little by little, until you can flow around them with greater ease and create something beautiful from each of them.
All my love,
Carie
