“On a deeper level you are already complete. When you realize that, there is a playful, joyous energy behind what you do.” -Eckhart Tolle
I’ve seen people attach their happiness to their achievements or to a perfect relationship, finances, etc. I get it. I’ve done it plenty of times myself…and well…today too.
It got me thinking, since all of these things exist somewhere other than now–and they’re all impermanent, even if we do achieve them–does this type of thinking create pain on multiple levels?
It came to mind this old article from TinyBuddha which I’m going to resurrect. It reads: this type of thinking creates pain in the present, when you’ve yet to achieve what you think you need. Next in the acquisition, when you realize even though you’ve met your goal, you’re still wired to look for happiness somewhere in the future. And later, when life changes, and you no longer have exactly what you had.
Life always changes. Nothing is permanent.
That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pursue goals. It’s just that we’d experience a more profound sense of joy on the journey if we realized there’s nowhere to get to. It’s all about experiencing the journey as you move along. There’s no salvation in the future. It’s an illusion that strips the present of joy and makes it a stressful experience.
Life is now. It will always be now. At some point, we have to decide now is as good as any to be happy, peaceful and complete.
Wouldn’t you agree?
Photo Credit: Roman Odintsov/Pexel
Totally agree. Life is now. 🙂
Nice post and reminders Bernice. I have been practicing this more again lately. It started deepening for me when I quit trying to improve myself and instead focused on loving and accepting myself.
Way to go!
Long time Bernice, Happy & healthy new year to you and yours.
Love this post especially quote by Elkhart Tolle.
Thank you for visiting my blog ❤️🙂💁🏻♀️
You’re welcome and thank you for sharing. Happy new year to you as well. 💛
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Ah time, that amazing thing that God gave us to ‘feel’ every second, every moment to really understand what it is we are feeling. I’ll never forget that moment that spirit showed me death…it was all ‘now’, everything just ‘is’ with not a hesitation or remotest hint of this time thing.
But there was its magic, all else has its opposite, like sadness so that when we do achieve our happiness it is so much more appreciated because we did indeed touch that ‘other’ that gave us that understanding. So time will drag us through every nook and cranny so that when we do touch that nirvana of ‘now’ it will be like heaven has descended and wrapped us in its arms forever, finally appreciating just what ‘now’ is.
Great post my friend, may our understanding finally be still and accept us just as we are 😀 ❤️ 🙏🏽 🦋
Thank you Mark. I’d have to say I may have hesitated to move along after reading “spirit showed me death”. Did you share this experience in your blog?
Yep, the ever illusory flow and passage of times’ hold of me has been waning except when I get up in the morning to drive to the office. Haha.
Oh yes, this worlds traffic jams really does test that ‘now’. I think that’s why we invented ‘coffee’ to try to liven ‘time’ up a bit 😂
And yes, up on my top menu bar is ‘The Death’. Its a bit long but it covered so much in such a ‘short’ time. It’s like being shown a photo, it’s an instant in time but so, so much is within it 😀 ❤️ 🙏🏽 🦋
Great. Will catch up to read it.