People naturally hunger to feel energized in a way that is lasting. Aren’t we tired of chasing achievements that pump-up self-pride for a few hours before the happy fuel escapes through the punctures of daily stressors?
For many of us, the answer to that is a resounding, “Yes!” We are tired of walking on our tippy-toes, straining to find the next temporary boost that will inevitably disappear as readily as a cloud. We notice that even the "highs" from achievements are ineffective to neutralize triggered emotions such as when, let's say, someone aggressively cuts us off in traffic.
Of course, we’re wired for survival, so such events are likely to stir up reactions. Still, it’s interesting to notice that emotions don’t strike as hot when we’re deeply content in our skin. This degree of peace isn’t an achievement; it’s an inherent quality that lives within all of us. Such a statement could rouse one's inner skeptic. I get it. Stating that peace lives within all of us is a bold claim when there appears to be little evidence of that in our world.
The quality of inner peace appears to be missing because it is grossly covered by fear’s kissing cousins: anger, worry, impatience, disdain, and the like.
However, just because peace (or any other quality of Love) isn’t expressed doesn’t mean it’s absent. Every quality—glossy to jagged—lives within us. The painful ones seem to arise without trying. The harmonious ones, however, appear to require conscious effort.
This seems especially true considering the amount of stress we face in daily life. Naturally, it’s easier to access good-feeling qualities (like peace, joy and wise compassion) when we are in love with life—and not just when conditions are ideal.
Being In Love With Life
I’m pointing to simply being in love with breathing, being amazed by the incredible geometry of a sunflower, a snowflake, appreciating the diversity of creation and being in awe of a watermelon that has grown from a seed smaller than one’s pinky toenail. The ongoing love for life’s simplest nuances is lasting unlike the fleeting gratification of conditions that inevitably come and go
Gratitude is a wonderful thing. Anyone even modestly interested in personal development has, no doubt, read about the positive effects of gratitude and, likely, practiced it. What I’m suggesting is taking gratitude further to deep appreciation. It’s a richer experience you can feel when you’re in it from the heart center rather than the head space.
Deep appreciation for the subtle miracles all around is how we remain energized rather than drained when unpleasant conditions arise. Despite the rejection, the nasty-gram, or the bad news, life continues to unfold with grand intelligence. Cells reproduce, digestion happens, wounds heal, rain falls, gardens grow, and someone shows up for us, unexpectedly, when we need it most.
How often do we notice and appreciate the understated, delicate wonders of life?
When fully present in this way, we access harmony that exists in every cell of our human enterprise that might have appeared to be missing. But it isn’t. Rather, it’s like a sleeping giant that gets woken up by us noticing life—by our genuine appreciation and awe.
As harmony awakens, its characteristics influence the performance of a cell (and every cell for that matter) so that communities of them entrain to be highly functioning in their collaboration.
What does that mean for us?
Enhanced health, for one, and being vibrantly energized from the inside.
Much Love,
Korrine