Being Here is More than Enough – Learn to be Present

We deal with so much suffering in our lives. No one is excluded. Much of it, however, comes from places where it actually does not need to exist. Let’s be clear here, I am not talking about wars and the ills of society we watch in other countries. While those are terrible events others have to experience, I’m referring to the suffering we place on ourselves because we are often trapped in our own heads, in our own minds. My life, probably like many others, was spent thinking and worrying about things that have yet to happen or replaying the horrible things from our pasts. Carrying guilt about the past and anxiety about a future detracts us from the transformative impacts of living here in the moment.

Don’t be fooled. I am not asking you to forget the ills of the living. They still feel bad and we should not pretend that it is nonexistent. It’s okay to feel bad. Believe me. Staying in the present is not an escape and it is not a magic portal to escaping these things. What it does mean is that we learn to quit the reaction to abandon ourselves when moments in life get heavy. What our Rebirth tells us is to invite mindfulness in so that we can learn to notice without the urge to respond with our normal untransformed minds. It’s a simple act in theory, but difficult in the action. But when we start this training, we build emotional clarity. We learn what we can carry, what we should carry, and what we simply have to let go for our own wellbeing.

A Kind Rebirth happens when we begin to understand and see that we do not have to be everything or have the answers to all the problems that arise. We can’t and we won’t. The good news is that we don’t have to. We are no less for focusing on our own security. How can we help others when inside we are struggling? Sometimes awareness is enough. You would be surprised at how much a little awareness will cause ripples in the stream of life and how much it motivates you in a way that helps you better help others. There is so much value in the unseen. Hold these moments even if they feel unfinished. Stay you and don’t worry so much about escaping. Build trust in your own mindfulness. Growth comes on its own.

Stay mindful…

Rebirth