How we find our way

We’re all a little deluded, thinking that our life is supposed to be different than it is.

We’re attached to achieving something that we can see...or, we feel deeply distracted by an obligation to be a way we think we should be. It’s the focus of our attention and suffering we pursue in a deluded trance. The house. The job. The partner. The wealth. The stuff. The stuff. The stuff. The stuff.

Then something wakes us up from this slumber and we start listening to our truer self. Nothing becomes more important than pursuing knowledge of it, so we start taking action out of inspiration and longing towards something bigger. Where do we find this courage to start behaving differently?

I observe ordinary people doing it every day. And I marvel at what seems like their superior sense of knowing. Like they found their way in a moment of epiphany. But, I’ve come to learn that it goes very differently than, ahem, we think it should.

They say the point isn’t reaching your destination, but a presence and keenly noticing the journey itself. Well, from what I can tell, this is the answer.

Finding your way doesn’t mean settling comfortably into some groove on a path so you can effortlessly tumble toward joy and life fulfillment. Finding your way is more akin to making a commitment towards something you know in your heart and in relationship with your truer self. Every failure, loss and defeat are progress, so you keep putting yourself out there. Your job is listening intently to your truth and doing what “she” (editor’s note: my true self identifies with the feminine pronoun, go figure) says because you’ve chosen to finally listen now. People who’ve found their way are those taking action towards who they’ve yet to become.

Not convinced that the “reward” is compelling enough? You want it now and not some promise of a future discovery? Well, I can tell you from my personal experience that I feel greater joy and life fulfillment despite reaching any destination. This work has given way to living my life with things more perfect than striving towards purely ego-centric and material goals as a seeker. But, it requires courageously surrendering and persistence. Some days I win and some are total loses. With my daily meditation practice, however, I tune into what I know to do while resisting the urge to wiggle out of this contract I’ve made with myself. Trust me, it takes heroic strength at times to say no to our pesky human habits and emotional patterns…

So here’s the deal, my job is to put myself out there and allow you to see me learning. With my writings, I also look forward to introducing you to people who’ve found their way. I feel deeply honored to serve the people who show up, so I hope you do. It’s also time to keep ourselves from ever considering perfectionism and just do it.