If I listened to all the advice I got this past year, my head would have exploded by now.
If there is anything I learned is that no one knows. Everyone makes it up every day. And some people know what they are talking about, while others just talk with no clue on how to create .
No, I don’t mean that people who have studied defined professions, like engineers or dentists, don’t know. They need a certain level of knowledge to function and design or keep our gums healthy (although a big part of the equation is up to us). What I mean is that we need to stop looking for answers outside of ourselves, in places that are not natural. If most of us want to live peaceful and exciting lives, do good work and be fulfilled, then why are so many depressed, lonely and unhappy? Why are there movements to teach us how to be happy or vulnerable? Why does sustainable love require so much effort? Why can’t we just love?
Every day, we get a delivery of what is cool and hot. It is delivered to each of us in packages and bundles so we can consume more and more. Shiny new objects may look appealing, but they do not last.
The question is do you want to be enticed and strung along until the next big thing, or do you want to live and flow, like the wind or the ocean. In the first scenario, the highs are high and the lows are low, as we are addicted to a false notion of success, where we have goals we must achieve to be happy. It is mostly an unnatural path that seduces us to a quest of heartbreak. It is often filled with hurt and false starts. Think about it. Albert Einstein’s own father died thinking his son was a failure.
The second path is the one where you wake up to your bold and beautiful voice. It can be a bit scary in the beginning as the belief systems around you, may no longer may sense. You start understanding that the first path is not for you, and you are unsure what your dream is versus the ones that have been put in your mind after years and years of conditioning of how your life should be. It is one where you realize you are simply part of nature and you no longer need to construct a life you need a vacation from, as you try to uncover your path of what you really, truly want to create in the world. And it is not easy as most people you know are busy on the first path and don’t understand what happened to you.
We live in a world where we treat what is scarce (natural resources) with abundance; and what is abundant (opportunity) with a mindset of scarcity.
We only have so many oceans, so much clean air, so much earth. And yet, our fast food culture makes us crave more, when there is enough. We can’t keep stuffing and numbing ourselves forever.
The hottest belief system (religion) we have today is money and it does not matter what currency or shape it comes in. It divides people, families, companies, countries, and every other group you can imagine. Those who don’t have any, need it to survive, and those who will never be able to use what they have in their lifetime, need it to survive too. And money is not the issue. It cannot be blamed. It is us who assign significance to material items and even to people. We decide what we believe is most important and assign it a value. We decide that we will pay over $5 for a cup of coffee from a specific brand. By purchasing items, we legitimize their value. But it is easy to blame someone else. It is part of our collective culture to find fault. We are increasingly blaming new technologies for our inability to make decisions about our lives, and our work. And why blame? What useful purpose does it serve, except to keep us unconscious?
Every breath you take matters. It gives you life. And life is beautiful.
Sure, as I found out this year, firsthand, you will be disappointed when people do not live up to their words and promises. But that’s ok. There are other people (7.5 billion backup plans) who you will resonate more with and who can walk their talk. The key is not to give your power away to someone who seems too good to be true. It’s not easy when you are trying to know yourself, and someone appears with answers on how life should be.
Related: It's Time for Each of Us to Tear Down and Rebuild
What we have to remember is that every single person is here to learn (even the gurus and teachers), and it is a beautiful state when we can actually learn from each other in flow. But when you feel resistance or experience drama, it usually means there is a lesson there to learn. And if you are not done learning, it will show up again and agin in different situations and with different people. Our conditioning teaches us to keep seeking knowledge and when reality starts appearing in front of you, you may seek someone who you can learn from. And what no one teaches us is to ask ourselves questions and tap into nature as our guide. The gurus or teachers don’t know you. They don’t know what you truly need no matter how much they try to convince you otherwise.
So, where is that love that so many are seeking? It is deep inside of ourselves. It is our job to tap into it, and ignite and spark our fire. There is a vast valley between self-love and narcism, which can get confusing. Self-love is simple, and complicated. It takes work. Some of the hardest you will ever do. It means you are conscious and aware of:
Here is to 2018, a year where we wake up to reality, and find our bold and beautiful voice, and know that changes comes from within. It is time to see life as a beautiful adventure, where we are whole and integrated on our path. It helps to know why you are here, what you want to create and who you want to play with on this grand adventure.
Here are 7 signposts that came to me as guide posts. They are not a framework to follow but a way for me to reflect on what is important as I pursue my dreams. The question is what are your signposts? What guides you? Take what you need from this, and leave what you don’t behind. Once you spark your inner dialogue, the fun begins.
