(I quickly tapped out these the other day after a conversation with someone wanting to know his way forward in life, so first warning: They’re not particularly polished or complete.
The friend I was talking to reminded me of myself, 20 years ago, and – second warning – while I still don’t claim to have any answers, I think now I've come to have a small handle on what is easy and smooth and what is hard and frustrating.
So, for what it’s worth – and let me know if you’d add any to these – here is what I got.)
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“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no universal recipe for living.”
— Carl Jung
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There are no rules for life.
For all virtues become hindrances when held too tightly.
The only guideline is to be awake.
To tune in; to listen; to trust; to be fully involved; to enjoy it all.
To define success and a life well lived for yourself, and to adjust as needed.
To know the difference between the courage needed to move beyond your comfort zone, and the drudgery and lack of energy that comes when you’ve outstayed your time.
To change direction, regardless of what they might think; or to keep going because that is what is needed.
To never grind, but to walk a joyful path – because you don’t want to waste a moment in frustrations or grudges or ‘have to’s’.
To see that sometimes you can go, and sometimes patience is required.
To let now be enough; for when now is everything, everything comes with such flow.
To make plans, but surrender to what is actually happening. Sync with the current of now.
To do it not for reward or reputation, but because you can find something in the doing of it that is more lasting and satisfying than what other people think.
To exist in an unfair and unjust world, and yet choose to marvel and be in awe at the beautiful and the right that is all around.
To know when to stand up for yourself, and when to shrug your shoulders and forget it all.
To choose your battles carefully – for the best of fighters never let anger or fear get the best of them; they know the fight is internal, the outside a mirror to the inside.
To see that no one is more important than you, or more worthy; and no one is beneath you either. What you see today is history playing out. And you have no idea of what momentum of the past is propelling them now.
To release any judgement of them, and of yourself – so you can see what’s pushing you, and in what direction, too.
To be so present and awake you nimbly step aside from what has been done and said and believed by you, and freely step into this moment, unhindered, curious, alive.
In this way you’ll come to a place where you have nothing to prove and nothing to hide.
You are so complete and fulfilled; you need nothing and yet the world is your oyster.
And all of this from being awake and immersed in life itself.
That’s your job.
Wake up.
If life is hard work, a strain and a struggle, confusing and frustrating … you’re forcing it – and force, strain, control … these are never useful. True creativity is never found here. And you ARE living a creative life, regardless of what you do.
So -
Quality over quantity. Learn to sail with, not row against.
Wake up. Be alive. Be first, do second.
And this is complicating it all far too much already so I'll finish.
As always, thank you for your time.
Go out and be a difference; live the life you were born to live.
Arjuna