how to be aware in an unaware world

Tag: meditation

Wisdom
“The wise expect nothing, hope for nothing, thus avoiding all disappointment and anxiety.”
– Alexandra David-Néel
However, hope can be the greatest of things, says Andy Dufresne.
(Just because I share these quotes doesn’t mean I always agree with them. My reasoning behind sharing them is to help me write engaging blog posts as well as push me to think through them.)
I also may agree with them during one point in my life and then disagree with them during another, that’s called the human condition. However, the point is to understand the mind of the author, not to find disagreement with them.
Disagreement should be a productive jumping-off point, a seeking to understand the core of the argument and see the other person’s side of view with more clarity.
Disappointment sucks, yes, but it’s also a catalyst to change. It’s in learning why we are disappointed with a certain outcome or person that we learn to have meaningful conversations and let go of the ego.
Expectations lead to unnecessary “what if” storylines in the mind.
Which can grow and grow, creating anxiety and angst in even the calmest of minds. Let’s take a simple high-school crush as an example: What if they don’t like me? What if I can’t talk to them? What if I don’t know what to say? What if they like someone else?
These “what ifs” can go on in perpetuity or until we see them from enough of a distance and watch them pass away.
The mind is a truly tricky place to navigate. Without the awareness to see thoughts, we will inevitably be consumed by them.
And without the practice of awareness (meditation, noting, visualizing), we will not be aware long enough to let thoughts pass.
Personally, I would change this quote to read: “The wise expect little, hope when all seems lost, and thus see disappointment and anxiety as passing clouds far above them.”
I encourage you to seek what troubles your mind today: write it down, speak it out loud, and tell someone who will actively listen (not necessarily in that order).
It’s in understanding our disappointments, anxieties, frustrations, and emotions that we better our relationship with our minds.
Three Links
1. Why You Need Wisdom (read)
2. How to Disagree Better (audio)
3. What is Wisdom? (video)
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July 28, 2023
Transformation
“I’d rather dream large and fail than shoot for mediocre and never discover my limits.”
– Diana Nyad

I both love and agree with this quote. It reminds me that we are limited by our own willingness to transform in life.

I say transform because I don’t particularly like the word change. When we change, say a bad habit to a good habit, we can just as easily change right back.

But when we transform, it’s implied there is no going back, it is set in stone.

Transformation: Noun: A marked change, as in appearance or character, usually for the better.

I do understand there are many forces out of our control that can make our path to transformation extremely difficult, but there is still a way. There is always a way through small, deliberate, logical choices every day.

Those who read this blog know how much of an advocate I am of routines. Routines make the world go round. Without them, we would be wandering around aimlessly like zombies, without care and without purpose.

When you look at some of the most influential people in the world, they all dared to dream big even though they encountered many limitations along the way, but eventually, they succeeded in transforming themselves over time.

What matters most is how you see yourself, not how others see you.

Some spend their entire lives realizing the meaning of that notion, while others recognize it early on.

We must equally be kind to ourselves, forgiving the mistakes and failures we make, so that we can move on.

Everyone who has made a name for themselves in this world had to experience disappointment, judgment, and hatred from others, but it was their view of themselves that kept going.

I encourage you today to try and catch yourself when you use the word change, and see what happens when you use transform instead. Write down three things that you can do to transform bad habits into good ones.
Three Links
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July 21, 2023
Value
“A human sacrifices their health in order to make money. Then they sacrifice their money to recuperate their health. And then they are so anxious about their future that they don’t enjoy the present; the result being that they don’t live in the present or the future, they live as if they are never going to die, and they die having never really lived.”
– The Dali Lama

I absolutely love this quote by the immensely influential Dali Lama because it has led to the life I lead today, as a minimalist and explorer who constantly questions his values in life.

I had always agreed with being value-focused but didn’t really put it into practice until recently when I sold almost all my possessions, packed a 40L backpack, and began traveling the US and Europe.

Throughout a year on the road, chasing my passion to travel and explore, meeting so many new people, and seeing so many new places I learned that a simpler life is a more fulfilling life.

Through seeking minimalism, I found that recklessness is abundant in the Western world’s view of success and that success needn’t be defined by the amount of money in our bank accounts or the number of places we’ve been, it ought to be determined by the love we give and the love we receive!

What I found through my journey was a greater discernment of choice. I began being able to see the impact of my choices at a deeper level. I started asking myself what my decisions, relationships, purchases, and commitments really meant.

Constraints breed resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and invention. So choosing a minimalist lifestyle with that in mind really made it easy.

I was actually less content with more because all that stuff was getting in the way of my values: Time, Nature, Travel, and Connection.

Every day we have a choice, albeit a difficult one, to make.

Choice 1: Abandon the idea that power, prestige, and position provide happiness (because happiness is tainted).

Choice 2: Abandon the idea that experience, relationships, and service provide fulfillment (and resort to Choice 1).

It’s like the difference between change and transformation. Change sounds nice, right? Well, change is only temporary. If I change a habit today, then I can change that habit again tomorrow. But if I transform that habit today, there is no going back, no transforming back. As I write this, I am committed to a path that transforms me, not changes me.

Today, I encourage you to reflect on the things that bring you true fulfillment. Take a moment to jot them down and commit them to memory. Let this realization guide you toward transforming your life in a way that aligns with your deepest desires.
Three Links
Thank you for your time and attention in reading this post. It is a rare gift. Feel free to leave a comment or share this post. You can also buy me a coffee here if you feel so inclined!
July 6, 2023