Wednesday, July 27, 2016

The Freedom of Now

Many of us live as victims to life and circumstances. We choose to allow our jobs and other people to be responsible for our happiness and fulfillment. We wait and wait and wait for the next "phase" of our life to finally lead the happy life we always wanted. We use people, schooling, and events as mere stepping stones on the pathway to happiness in a never-ending dance of "practice" for the "real thing". A never-ending dance of waiting to be happy after we achieve x, y, and z...and then r, g, h and t....and then d, q, c and v and so on. You know exactly what I'm talking about! We worry so much about looking good for others who are so caught up in having the same exact worry for us. We attach meaning to childhood events that have held us back from the freedom of now as though they actually have to mean something when really nothing has to mean anything and the past doesn't even exist, except in our minds. Life is inherently meaningless until we give it meaning and no matter how much society tells us what things mean, the choice is ultimately ours. We are the creators of our own meaning and the meaning of things. Every moment we experience exists in an infinitely empty space of nothing with endless possibilities for the creation of anything. The best part is we are the creator of those possibilities! We settle for living an inherited life of inherited meanings when we can be living a created life of created meanings or simply no meanings. Understanding that the meanings we attach in life are only creations of a life that is inherently meaningless makes you unmessable with and that's powerful.

The best way to make a difference in your life and in the world is to first take full responsibility for your life and stop blaming circumstances and other people. If you have been, pick up the phone and call the person whom you have thought to be responsible for your happiness and apologize by acknowledging who really is. Second, understand that you are the creator of your life and every moment exists in an infinitely empty space of nothing from which you can choose to create the possibility for anything. Thirdly, don't take life too serious - we will all be dead soon. Fourth, understand that love is about acceptance, not judgement. Understanding this concept will allow you the ability and freedom to love and accept anyone fully as they are and not try to change them because we all know how that turns out. Fifth, do not make yourself right and someone else wrong. Make it about workability and what works best without the self-righteousness, domination, and  stubbornness of "being right". Sixth, understand that being powerful isn't about dispossessing conditional human traits, such as judging others, because we can't help that - it's about being aware when we do this and taking accountability for those little voices in our heads. Seventh, understand that your Word is who you are and the foundation of your Word is integrity. If that is all you get from reading this, then you will live a powerful, authentic life! Eighth, understand that it's much easier to be small and blame others. Being big in life takes risk and courage. Be big. Ninth, commit yourself to something bigger than your life, such as taking on hunger in NYC or joining the movement to stop climate change. It may help keep you out of trouble with your restless mind and relationships while doing good in the world. Tenth, stop beating yourself up over meanings of something that don't even have to mean anything. Love yourself as you are and improve where you please, but without the resentment towards yourself. Forgive yourself and create a new possibility with the past where it belongs. Finally, understand that your identity, not You, is a result of your reaction to a few events which happened to you growing up. You may think they have to define you, but every moment presents a new possibility for you to redefine your life and identity. The more you speak this identity, the more real it becomes.

What the world really needs are more people who have truly come alive. More people that don't look outward for happiness and fulfillment, but understand their own power to generate it within despite their circumstances and relationships. By creating and sharing love, compassion and happiness, you exert it out into the universe which is like a two-way mirror flinging it right back. Again, every moment we experience exists in an infinitely empty space of nothing with endless possibilities for the creation of anything. Think about it. The best part is we are the creator of those possibilities! Authenticity, integrity, and profound existential awareness for your own power to create possibilities from nothing will create breakthroughs for a better life and consequently, a better world.