The past 24 months have put a magnifying glass on our lives. We started to notice where we wanted to put our attention and not so much. What is important to us, and how much pressure we are exposed to through our job, family, and expectations. There is constant pressure from society and on top of it from ourselves.
Workspaces moved in and out of homes, more work and less staff, kids' school attendance is constantly changing, and the stress around our health has been a center of attention. Now, we are also adding the rupture of international politics and surviving livelihood to the plate. It comes with no surprise that how we relate to the world in and around us affects us profoundly and is overwhelming.
Much of it has to do with how we've been conditioned as we grew up, going through school, and at some point joining the workforce that the only way to be successful in life, achieving something, making a living, and fitting in is by following the guidelines of the system.
We want to be seen for the person we are and not the person people need us to be so we won't stand out but blend in. Through the path and practice of mindfulness, I discovered that we need to learn how to belong and be ourselves. By understanding ourselves better, we become creative in making a difference without losing ourselves.
If we expect to fit in, we choose a path that doesn't support us. By fitting in, we become someone else. The moment we recognize who we are, the easier it becomes to connect with people who reflect us. This awareness also means it will get uncomfortable. It means we find out that the places we showed up didn't represent what our hearts longed for, and it also means that we will find peace and ease moving through life.
When we stop the chasing of fitting in and getting degrees and positions, we believe, provide us with respect and acknowledgment, we start the process of being—being ourselves, being present, and being deeply connected to ourselves and the world around us.
If we can't find peace within ourselves, it won't be easy to bring peace to our surroundings and, therefore, the world. A shift has to happen that our hearts core and internal values matter much more than the external and material values that we as a society believe to be powerful.
Let's begin here by embracing who we are, including the uncomfortable and neutral parts of ourselves, and live more freely and at peace.
Are you wondering where to begin and finding people interested in changing the status quo? Comment below or email me.
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