A seat on the bus, averting an argument with a triggering relative, your ATM card working the way it’s supposed to, the patient barista who tailored that drink to your taste. Imagine: in a single day, in a single hour, all of the wonderful things we overlook or take for granted because of our endless search for “more.”
This week a legal matter that I have been dealing with and stressing over for more than two years found its way to some closure. Leading up to it, I felt some heightened grief. To be expected.
The only reason I could feel the grief, and the slew of other emotions, is because some time ago I committed to changes in my life that would allow me to feel them. I removed certain distractions and began making healthier choices, namely around relationships, my home, and the food I was eating. Once overly stoic, I also began asking for help when I needed it. A natural by-product of shedding toxins, emotional or physical, is becoming more aware of our internal fluctuations.
In the face of difficult circumstances, all we have to do is what we can do. Gratitude for others helps a great deal. We do very few things all by ourselves. When I stop to recognize all the things that are going well, I have less time to ponder the things that are (according to my view) going badly. This helps me to honor my process, the plight of others, and the dark nights that arise along the way. If we want to be free, we begin with the mind.