Life is pushing us back and forth, left and right. And then again, who is in control? Is life and what is happening in it determining how we lose our minds and how overwhelmed we are, or do we have agency in making it a reality?
It's true a lot is happening. Demands from our supervisors, family members, kids, you name it. I am not surprised we feel that way when we always respond on command. Some relationships require a particular give and take as long as we know where up and down are.
This conversation focuses on remaining true to who we are while meeting life expectations. Where we begin is with presence. One thing we seem not to take so seriously. We underestimate the power presence holds.
Growing up, there was this story about Hans, Guck-in-die-Luft (translated as Hans, look-in-the-air). The message was that you need to look where you are going so you won't trip and hurt yourself. Thinking about it now, I suggest looking up more while standing still to see what our surroundings offer; it might be good practice to be present.
Sometimes, looking up from our papers, computers, and cell phones might be more beneficial than we give it credit. Even when writing this post, there were moments when I felt stuck with my thought process. In those moments, I stepped aside and took a moment, sometimes even days, to return and continue writing.
When we keep our attention down, we can fall into a trance where a connection to our body goes unnoticed. Our focus stays in our heads. And what's interesting is that resistance, limitations, and feeling stuck are more likely to occur. In an internal struggle or conflict, we can create new opportunities to resolve our issues by giving space and movement to what is happening.
When we look up, especially in nature, our horizon widens. We start seeing more possibilities, and new ideas can come up. Connecting it to how we see ourselves, we solidify and better understand who we are. When I talked with young humans about being ourselves, I noticed that we never fully know who we are and can become. There is always more to explore and be. What presence does is help us be in tune with who we are in this particular moment and not limit ourselves.
Want to take the first step to bring more awareness to your life?
When you experience discomfort, pause and look out a window.
What do you see? Explore and observe your surroundings without judgment.
If your environment allows, take a walk and let your body be in motion.
Allow space and movement to come in.
Return and see if where you were stuck is where you want and can continue or if you need to start something different.
Good luck, and always remember, life becomes perfect when we don't know what the future holds.