Tony Fahkry's Blog - Posts Tagged "universe"
Find Yourself and Be That
“Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.” – St. Augustine
In the quest to discover one’s potential, many people seem to be wandering aimlessly these days, dazed by a sense of confusion. Numerous self-help books line the shelves of bookstores proclaiming the latest movement or program to heal you in thirty days. Self-help groupies seek solace in New Age wisdom only to discover what is already contained within – the source of all wisdom.
I often ponder the number of people who follow the advice echoed within the pages of a self-help book, a blog article or seminar. Given we live in what is arguably the most prosperous period in the world’s history, why have we lost our sense of self? This confusion has given rise to a popular meme now used synonymously throughout the Western world known as first world problems.
I affirm that our maladies may be attributed to straying from our life purpose; while similarly succumbing to external influences. The young are inundated with a surplus of information nowadays, fuelled by technological advances that have allowed us to stay connected, especially via social media. In many ways our connections are nothing more than empty posters on an electronic billboard which serve to remind us that we belong. And yet, we have an inner longing for social acceptance. It is wired into our DNA to be a part of a tribe.
The following points are what I consider to be the quintessential qualities for reconnecting with your essential self. I have chosen to list as many points possible, while opting on the side of brevity to provide you with a detailed list.
“There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” – Aldous Huxley
1. Accept Yourself: Complete acceptance of oneself entails acknowledgement of your wholeness with all your imperfections, foibles and insecurities. You cannot disown unfavourable aspects of yourself and seek to highlight positive qualities. This might be deemed treading a fine line toward narcissism.
2. Know Thyself: This does not entail knowing your likes or dislikes. Rather it is a call to discover the true essence of your spiritual self. Who is the real you? What are your true motivations? What kindles your soul? What are your passions?
3. Discard the False Self: Many people have created a false sense of self – an image of who they think they are. It is believed the mind creates a false persona epitomised by the ego to keep it alive. Unfortunately life events (tragedy or loss) may disrupt this image and suddenly one is faced with the task of re-examining their sense of self, since the illusory shadow is shattered.
4. Do Not Identify With Thoughts: I’ve written extensively in recent times about not identifying with your thoughts. Do not allow your thoughts to give you an impression of your real self. Thoughts come and go, yet the essence of who you are is unchanging and authentic. Connect with that part of your nature.
5. Surrender Addictions: Many people suffer from controlling addictions to things or people. Addictions extend to habitual thoughts which occupy valuable space in the mind and body system. They deprive you of energy and disconnect you from your precious self. Let go of that which does not serve you – drop it like a hot piece of coal.
6. Stop Seeking Validation: Let go of the need to prove yourself to others. You do not require validation from others to prove your worthiness; even from loved ones. No one or nothing can offer you the authentication you long for, other than yourself. True validation comes from the core of your being.
7. Find Time For Silence: Find time to be alone every now and again, particularly in nature. Exercising outdoors allows you to reconnect with yourself in a tranquil setting among nature. Being outdoors harmonises both mind and body and energises the soul.
8. Connect With Your Heart And Mind: In my book The Power to Navigate Life, I have titled a chapter Connect With Your Heart And Mind since I believe many of us live life from the level of the mind. We get stuck in left brain logic, since we were taught to reason the world through logic alone. It has been demonstrated in experiments that the heart’s electrical impulse is 40 to 60 times greater than the brain. The heart often feels or intuits things well before the brain has time to make sense of it.
9. Accept The Perfection Of Life: There is no need to change anything ‘out there’ since the heart of your troubles is always contained within. As you tend to your inner landscape, your external reality inherently harmonises with your inner world. As the Hermetic aphorism states, “As within, so without.”
10. Focus on Yourself First: Tend to your inner world and nurture it through self-examination and introspection. Invariably when things go wrong in life, knowing that you can remain peaceful and safe is reassuring. It is like a ship in stormy weather – nothing can destabilise a ship when it has a strong hull. It floats through troubled waters allowing the raging storm to take it where it needs to, knowing in due course it will find refuge in safe harbour.
11. Relationships Are Vital Lessons: What we loathe in others we disapprove in ourselves. I wrote about this in a previous article called, Relationships Are Mirrors of Yourself. Therefore at a deeper level your difficult relationships are a call to heal an aspect of yourself which you are at war with. Embrace the lesson by allowing painful memories to move through you without becoming invested in any harmful emotions.
12. Connect With Purpose: Your purpose may or may not be tied to your career. Your purpose is your life’s calling – your spiritual truth. It is the deeper question which we beckon of ourselves – why am I here on Earth? Why have I been born during this period in time and what have I come here to become? You discover your purpose by ‘doing’ not by sitting around waiting for it to land in your lap. Pursue anything which fuels your soul and slowly but surely your purpose will be made known to you. Purpose requires momentum, hard work, commitment and sacrifice. People who feel ‘lost’ have disconnected with their purpose.
In the quest to discover one’s potential, many people seem to be wandering aimlessly these days, dazed by a sense of confusion. Numerous self-help books line the shelves of bookstores proclaiming the latest movement or program to heal you in thirty days. Self-help groupies seek solace in New Age wisdom only to discover what is already contained within – the source of all wisdom.
I often ponder the number of people who follow the advice echoed within the pages of a self-help book, a blog article or seminar. Given we live in what is arguably the most prosperous period in the world’s history, why have we lost our sense of self? This confusion has given rise to a popular meme now used synonymously throughout the Western world known as first world problems.
I affirm that our maladies may be attributed to straying from our life purpose; while similarly succumbing to external influences. The young are inundated with a surplus of information nowadays, fuelled by technological advances that have allowed us to stay connected, especially via social media. In many ways our connections are nothing more than empty posters on an electronic billboard which serve to remind us that we belong. And yet, we have an inner longing for social acceptance. It is wired into our DNA to be a part of a tribe.
The following points are what I consider to be the quintessential qualities for reconnecting with your essential self. I have chosen to list as many points possible, while opting on the side of brevity to provide you with a detailed list.
“There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” – Aldous Huxley
1. Accept Yourself: Complete acceptance of oneself entails acknowledgement of your wholeness with all your imperfections, foibles and insecurities. You cannot disown unfavourable aspects of yourself and seek to highlight positive qualities. This might be deemed treading a fine line toward narcissism.
2. Know Thyself: This does not entail knowing your likes or dislikes. Rather it is a call to discover the true essence of your spiritual self. Who is the real you? What are your true motivations? What kindles your soul? What are your passions?
3. Discard the False Self: Many people have created a false sense of self – an image of who they think they are. It is believed the mind creates a false persona epitomised by the ego to keep it alive. Unfortunately life events (tragedy or loss) may disrupt this image and suddenly one is faced with the task of re-examining their sense of self, since the illusory shadow is shattered.
4. Do Not Identify With Thoughts: I’ve written extensively in recent times about not identifying with your thoughts. Do not allow your thoughts to give you an impression of your real self. Thoughts come and go, yet the essence of who you are is unchanging and authentic. Connect with that part of your nature.
5. Surrender Addictions: Many people suffer from controlling addictions to things or people. Addictions extend to habitual thoughts which occupy valuable space in the mind and body system. They deprive you of energy and disconnect you from your precious self. Let go of that which does not serve you – drop it like a hot piece of coal.
6. Stop Seeking Validation: Let go of the need to prove yourself to others. You do not require validation from others to prove your worthiness; even from loved ones. No one or nothing can offer you the authentication you long for, other than yourself. True validation comes from the core of your being.
7. Find Time For Silence: Find time to be alone every now and again, particularly in nature. Exercising outdoors allows you to reconnect with yourself in a tranquil setting among nature. Being outdoors harmonises both mind and body and energises the soul.
8. Connect With Your Heart And Mind: In my book The Power to Navigate Life, I have titled a chapter Connect With Your Heart And Mind since I believe many of us live life from the level of the mind. We get stuck in left brain logic, since we were taught to reason the world through logic alone. It has been demonstrated in experiments that the heart’s electrical impulse is 40 to 60 times greater than the brain. The heart often feels or intuits things well before the brain has time to make sense of it.
9. Accept The Perfection Of Life: There is no need to change anything ‘out there’ since the heart of your troubles is always contained within. As you tend to your inner landscape, your external reality inherently harmonises with your inner world. As the Hermetic aphorism states, “As within, so without.”
10. Focus on Yourself First: Tend to your inner world and nurture it through self-examination and introspection. Invariably when things go wrong in life, knowing that you can remain peaceful and safe is reassuring. It is like a ship in stormy weather – nothing can destabilise a ship when it has a strong hull. It floats through troubled waters allowing the raging storm to take it where it needs to, knowing in due course it will find refuge in safe harbour.
11. Relationships Are Vital Lessons: What we loathe in others we disapprove in ourselves. I wrote about this in a previous article called, Relationships Are Mirrors of Yourself. Therefore at a deeper level your difficult relationships are a call to heal an aspect of yourself which you are at war with. Embrace the lesson by allowing painful memories to move through you without becoming invested in any harmful emotions.
12. Connect With Purpose: Your purpose may or may not be tied to your career. Your purpose is your life’s calling – your spiritual truth. It is the deeper question which we beckon of ourselves – why am I here on Earth? Why have I been born during this period in time and what have I come here to become? You discover your purpose by ‘doing’ not by sitting around waiting for it to land in your lap. Pursue anything which fuels your soul and slowly but surely your purpose will be made known to you. Purpose requires momentum, hard work, commitment and sacrifice. People who feel ‘lost’ have disconnected with their purpose.
Leave No Stone Unturned In Your Desire for Success
“To find what you seek in the road of life, the best proverb of all is that which says: "Leave no stone unturned." - Edward Bulwer Lytton
In an ancient Greek fable, the playwright Euripides conveys a story of an army general who buries a large treasure in his tent, following his defeat in battle. When the conquering general and his troops could not locate the treasure, they consulted the Oracle of Delphi who advised them to look under every stone. The conquering general returned to the site where the tent was situated, ordering his troops to search under every stone until the treasure was uncovered.
The tale by Euripides, used since the 1500s, depicts man’s unbending desire to pursue every course of action to achieve his outcome. Consider the relevance of this story in your own life. Is there a goal or dream you are determined to achieve with a vehement desire?
Giving up is an easy way out since it abandons the need to concede failure and the ensuing emotions which arise from defeat. Yet character is formed in defeat, similar to the process where carbon dioxide when applied with intense heat and pressure, gives rise to form a diamond.
I’d like you to consider leaving no stone unturned in your pursuit to realise a particular goal or outcome. That is, adopt an unrelenting desire to pursue that which burns deep in your heart. Have you noticed, those who strike upon success have an unyielding tenacity not to lose sight of their vision?
Similar to a dog who refuses to let go of his bone until he has gnawed at it, thus reducing it to nothing more than bone fragments, you must strive to exhaust all avenues before retreating into defeat. Often, we believe every course of action is being undertaken, yet something is always lurking around the corner, waiting to command our attention.
People who seek a cure for disease or illness, may spend years searching for a solution to no avail. Yet, as they abandon hope, a likely solution is brought to light when they least expect it. Therefore, I urge you to stay vigilant, yet in a state of expectation without a projected outcome of how your goal will come to bear.
Consider your answer to this question - what is it you desire? We spend a great deal of time protesting what we don’t want, to the detriment of our true desires. Your subconscious mind constantly scans your innermost thoughts and daydreams. It does so by filtering pertinent information to reveal patterns of thought, particular to your character. Therefore, given your commitment, giving up should be the last resort until all avenues have been exhausted.
Similarly, what you set out to achieve may not be realised in the form you intended. Many of the world’s greatest inventions came to life because of an accident or mishap. Consider the inventions we take for granted nowadays such as: Post-it notes, Penicillin, the microwave oven, Velcro and x-rays. Such inventions arose out of mere accident and countless errors.
It is no surprise that vigilance, tenacity and an unrelenting desire are paramount in your quest to succeed. This principle applies to most areas of life: improving personal finances, career, entrepreneurship and seeking a committed relationship. I invite you to think in terms of infinite possibilities.
In their book, The Winner’s Brain: 8 Strategies Great Minds Use to Achieve Success, authors Jeff Brown and Mark Fenske state, “A Winner’s Brain is very good at tuning out distractions and choosing the best way to focus on a task (there are different types of focus the brain is capable of) in order to get the best outcome.” The ability to tune out distractions becomes a focal point to realise your intended outcome. The winner’s mind is goal orientated, given its laser focus to stay committed to the project until it has come to life.
Regrettably, most people adopt the suck it and see approach to goal attainment, eluding to the English expression of, “giving it a go” while attentive to what eventuates in the process. Whilst merit is gained in adopting this approach, it is better suited towards smaller goals rather than risk gambling with the game of life. A more likely strategy calls for developing a compelling inner resolve to pursue the goal til the end - far too many people give up, just when the tide turns. Whilst you may not appreciate how close you were, in hindsight you might lament your missed opportunity. I invite you to consider the timely quote by the late author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn, which invites us to reflect upon the value of regret, “We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment.”
To leave no stone unturned in your quest for success, requires restrained patience and biding your time. In support, a steadfast vigilance to realise a successful outcome is similarly paramount. I suggest you alternate between these two states, given that patience and vigilance tend to oppose one another. Do not abandon hope when all seems lost, that is the time when the tide turns in your favour. Life is bound by unexpected change when you least expect it.
In concluding, pursue everything in your power to realise your goal, then turn it over to the universe to usher in the ideal outcome. It was in Dan Millman’s book, Way of the Peaceful Warrior, where he reminds us of the following affirmation, “I no longer presume to know how life should come or go; letting go in this way brings a sense of freedom. This doesn’t mean I don’t care or have no preferences. My actions naturally follow the call of my heart, my interests, my values. I make efforts in my personal and professional life in alignment with my goals. But once I've taken aim and loosed the arrows from the bow, I can only wait with interest to see where it will land.”
Assume the same inner conviction towards your vision of success. Sure enough, when you least expect it, success will greet you in the timeliest hour.
In an ancient Greek fable, the playwright Euripides conveys a story of an army general who buries a large treasure in his tent, following his defeat in battle. When the conquering general and his troops could not locate the treasure, they consulted the Oracle of Delphi who advised them to look under every stone. The conquering general returned to the site where the tent was situated, ordering his troops to search under every stone until the treasure was uncovered.
The tale by Euripides, used since the 1500s, depicts man’s unbending desire to pursue every course of action to achieve his outcome. Consider the relevance of this story in your own life. Is there a goal or dream you are determined to achieve with a vehement desire?
Giving up is an easy way out since it abandons the need to concede failure and the ensuing emotions which arise from defeat. Yet character is formed in defeat, similar to the process where carbon dioxide when applied with intense heat and pressure, gives rise to form a diamond.
I’d like you to consider leaving no stone unturned in your pursuit to realise a particular goal or outcome. That is, adopt an unrelenting desire to pursue that which burns deep in your heart. Have you noticed, those who strike upon success have an unyielding tenacity not to lose sight of their vision?
Similar to a dog who refuses to let go of his bone until he has gnawed at it, thus reducing it to nothing more than bone fragments, you must strive to exhaust all avenues before retreating into defeat. Often, we believe every course of action is being undertaken, yet something is always lurking around the corner, waiting to command our attention.
People who seek a cure for disease or illness, may spend years searching for a solution to no avail. Yet, as they abandon hope, a likely solution is brought to light when they least expect it. Therefore, I urge you to stay vigilant, yet in a state of expectation without a projected outcome of how your goal will come to bear.
Consider your answer to this question - what is it you desire? We spend a great deal of time protesting what we don’t want, to the detriment of our true desires. Your subconscious mind constantly scans your innermost thoughts and daydreams. It does so by filtering pertinent information to reveal patterns of thought, particular to your character. Therefore, given your commitment, giving up should be the last resort until all avenues have been exhausted.
Similarly, what you set out to achieve may not be realised in the form you intended. Many of the world’s greatest inventions came to life because of an accident or mishap. Consider the inventions we take for granted nowadays such as: Post-it notes, Penicillin, the microwave oven, Velcro and x-rays. Such inventions arose out of mere accident and countless errors.
It is no surprise that vigilance, tenacity and an unrelenting desire are paramount in your quest to succeed. This principle applies to most areas of life: improving personal finances, career, entrepreneurship and seeking a committed relationship. I invite you to think in terms of infinite possibilities.
In their book, The Winner’s Brain: 8 Strategies Great Minds Use to Achieve Success, authors Jeff Brown and Mark Fenske state, “A Winner’s Brain is very good at tuning out distractions and choosing the best way to focus on a task (there are different types of focus the brain is capable of) in order to get the best outcome.” The ability to tune out distractions becomes a focal point to realise your intended outcome. The winner’s mind is goal orientated, given its laser focus to stay committed to the project until it has come to life.
Regrettably, most people adopt the suck it and see approach to goal attainment, eluding to the English expression of, “giving it a go” while attentive to what eventuates in the process. Whilst merit is gained in adopting this approach, it is better suited towards smaller goals rather than risk gambling with the game of life. A more likely strategy calls for developing a compelling inner resolve to pursue the goal til the end - far too many people give up, just when the tide turns. Whilst you may not appreciate how close you were, in hindsight you might lament your missed opportunity. I invite you to consider the timely quote by the late author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn, which invites us to reflect upon the value of regret, “We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment.”
To leave no stone unturned in your quest for success, requires restrained patience and biding your time. In support, a steadfast vigilance to realise a successful outcome is similarly paramount. I suggest you alternate between these two states, given that patience and vigilance tend to oppose one another. Do not abandon hope when all seems lost, that is the time when the tide turns in your favour. Life is bound by unexpected change when you least expect it.
In concluding, pursue everything in your power to realise your goal, then turn it over to the universe to usher in the ideal outcome. It was in Dan Millman’s book, Way of the Peaceful Warrior, where he reminds us of the following affirmation, “I no longer presume to know how life should come or go; letting go in this way brings a sense of freedom. This doesn’t mean I don’t care or have no preferences. My actions naturally follow the call of my heart, my interests, my values. I make efforts in my personal and professional life in alignment with my goals. But once I've taken aim and loosed the arrows from the bow, I can only wait with interest to see where it will land.”
Assume the same inner conviction towards your vision of success. Sure enough, when you least expect it, success will greet you in the timeliest hour.
Have You Lost Your Way?
“Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle.” - Lewis Carroll
A Roman general known for his valour, insisted a slave follow him everywhere holding a sign that read, momento mori which translated means, “remember that you have to die.”
I invite you to consider the extent of your life be measured by the significant moments instead of missed opportunities. Knowing life is short, we must seize the day to discover our path.
Events play out in our favour, despite the worries and frustrations which open us to a greater experience of ourselves. Yet without warning your existence may be cast into despair as you come to terms with changing circumstances.
Have you experienced losing your direction? Remember how you felt at the time – connect with the moment by recalling those times of uncertainty. Now cast your mind back to the present moment. Note the insignificance of the experience from this vantage point.
A loss in direction is precipitated by losing sight of one’s core purpose. A feeling of emptiness is accompanied by worry and confusion as you come to terms with your position. I can attest to this having experienced it when I transitioned from an earlier career over a decade ago. The disconcerted and listless state of mind was too much to bear. My vulnerability clouded my incapacity to make sense of my state. I sought to establish my foothold in what appeared to be a bottomless pit.
Let me set your mind at rest - you can never be lost in this purposeful universe. Contained within every experience of uncertainty is the knowledge you have taken a side-step; a holding point to reconnect with your intuitive compass.
We are prone to lose our way during moments in our life since we are not born with an internal GPS routing our passage through life. Whilst we are endowed with inner guidance by way of emotions, depending on our level of awareness and consciousness, we are less likely to heed the signs. We are so caught up attending to the cascade of emotions which being lost invokes.
Allow me to propose a thought experiment – indulge me if you will. What if being lost turned out to be your greatest gift? Consider the following scenario. You set out in search of a dream to find you have become lost. Right when you are likely to concede defeat, you find your way and while the road is unfamiliar, it allows you to create a new path toward your destination.
If you used a GPS device and took a wrong turn, as long as the right co-ordinates are stored, the unit seeks an alternative route to deliver you to the destination; regardless of which road you take. Life functions in the same respect. You are the vehicle while your intuition and emotional guidance serves as the GPS. If you are lost, reconnect with your purposeful self to get back on course with your journey.
“And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself?” – Rumi
The primary aim when you are lost is to concede to your current state. Second, navigate your way ahead from your current position and trust you will reach your destination. Equally, retreat into silence. When the mind is caught up in excessive thought, one cannot navigate the path forward owing to the cloud of distorted thinking. Stay still and silent until a stirring within your soul summons you to take proper action. You will know when you are ready to take the next step.
A music device may cease to omit a radio frequency due to interruptions to its signal, yet it remains a music device. Life is recurring which means honouring the rhythms which rise and fall – sometimes we may be lost while other times our path is obvious. There is a purpose to everything, which only becomes clear to you further down the road.
When you sense you are lost, you should get in touch with your inner nature. What materialises often reflects what is held within the psyche. Could being lost highlight the same concealed feelings beneath the surface? It was Carl Jung who said, “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” He was referring to awakening our potential.
In the same way, despite popular opinion espousing the happiness movement, seeking happiness while lost is expecting the sun to shine through a raging storm. One must continue to advance through the storm so the sun finds its way through an unblemished sky.
Share your pain with others who can support you to navigate your way back. What may appear as being stuck holds your greatest gift towards victory, yet seldom does it appear that way. It was Dan Millman who said, “When we feel stuck, going nowhere - even starting to slip backward - we may actually be backing up to get a running start.”
In Paulo Coelho’s book The Alchemist, Santiago the young shepherd boy traverses the globe in search of his personal legend, to find it was present at home all along. Had he not embarked upon the journey, he may not have gained the valuable wisdom and insights along the way. He may have overlooked the connections made and the lessons which shaped his life.
Your mental frame of reference is paramount when you have lost your way. Not every person’s character is shaped by success, yet failure musters personal growth in every person. The person we become at our lowest point flames our inner spirit. Andrew Matthews, author of How Life Works, reminds us, “When we think everything is going wrong, it usually isn't. We just can’t see the whole picture.”
Knowing our time is limited beckons us to stop clutching for answers that do not exist. It is acceptable to be lost at moments of our life, given that man spends a lifetime cultivating his way on earth. Nothing good can arise out of fearing for the worst or expecting a future to arrive as expected.
Remain resolute that the breadth of your life is measured by the memorable moments, instead of one’s lost direction. For contained within each period of uncertainty lies the opportunity to unearth your hidden potential.
A Roman general known for his valour, insisted a slave follow him everywhere holding a sign that read, momento mori which translated means, “remember that you have to die.”
I invite you to consider the extent of your life be measured by the significant moments instead of missed opportunities. Knowing life is short, we must seize the day to discover our path.
Events play out in our favour, despite the worries and frustrations which open us to a greater experience of ourselves. Yet without warning your existence may be cast into despair as you come to terms with changing circumstances.
Have you experienced losing your direction? Remember how you felt at the time – connect with the moment by recalling those times of uncertainty. Now cast your mind back to the present moment. Note the insignificance of the experience from this vantage point.
A loss in direction is precipitated by losing sight of one’s core purpose. A feeling of emptiness is accompanied by worry and confusion as you come to terms with your position. I can attest to this having experienced it when I transitioned from an earlier career over a decade ago. The disconcerted and listless state of mind was too much to bear. My vulnerability clouded my incapacity to make sense of my state. I sought to establish my foothold in what appeared to be a bottomless pit.
Let me set your mind at rest - you can never be lost in this purposeful universe. Contained within every experience of uncertainty is the knowledge you have taken a side-step; a holding point to reconnect with your intuitive compass.
We are prone to lose our way during moments in our life since we are not born with an internal GPS routing our passage through life. Whilst we are endowed with inner guidance by way of emotions, depending on our level of awareness and consciousness, we are less likely to heed the signs. We are so caught up attending to the cascade of emotions which being lost invokes.
Allow me to propose a thought experiment – indulge me if you will. What if being lost turned out to be your greatest gift? Consider the following scenario. You set out in search of a dream to find you have become lost. Right when you are likely to concede defeat, you find your way and while the road is unfamiliar, it allows you to create a new path toward your destination.
If you used a GPS device and took a wrong turn, as long as the right co-ordinates are stored, the unit seeks an alternative route to deliver you to the destination; regardless of which road you take. Life functions in the same respect. You are the vehicle while your intuition and emotional guidance serves as the GPS. If you are lost, reconnect with your purposeful self to get back on course with your journey.
“And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself?” – Rumi
The primary aim when you are lost is to concede to your current state. Second, navigate your way ahead from your current position and trust you will reach your destination. Equally, retreat into silence. When the mind is caught up in excessive thought, one cannot navigate the path forward owing to the cloud of distorted thinking. Stay still and silent until a stirring within your soul summons you to take proper action. You will know when you are ready to take the next step.
A music device may cease to omit a radio frequency due to interruptions to its signal, yet it remains a music device. Life is recurring which means honouring the rhythms which rise and fall – sometimes we may be lost while other times our path is obvious. There is a purpose to everything, which only becomes clear to you further down the road.
When you sense you are lost, you should get in touch with your inner nature. What materialises often reflects what is held within the psyche. Could being lost highlight the same concealed feelings beneath the surface? It was Carl Jung who said, “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” He was referring to awakening our potential.
In the same way, despite popular opinion espousing the happiness movement, seeking happiness while lost is expecting the sun to shine through a raging storm. One must continue to advance through the storm so the sun finds its way through an unblemished sky.
Share your pain with others who can support you to navigate your way back. What may appear as being stuck holds your greatest gift towards victory, yet seldom does it appear that way. It was Dan Millman who said, “When we feel stuck, going nowhere - even starting to slip backward - we may actually be backing up to get a running start.”
In Paulo Coelho’s book The Alchemist, Santiago the young shepherd boy traverses the globe in search of his personal legend, to find it was present at home all along. Had he not embarked upon the journey, he may not have gained the valuable wisdom and insights along the way. He may have overlooked the connections made and the lessons which shaped his life.
Your mental frame of reference is paramount when you have lost your way. Not every person’s character is shaped by success, yet failure musters personal growth in every person. The person we become at our lowest point flames our inner spirit. Andrew Matthews, author of How Life Works, reminds us, “When we think everything is going wrong, it usually isn't. We just can’t see the whole picture.”
Knowing our time is limited beckons us to stop clutching for answers that do not exist. It is acceptable to be lost at moments of our life, given that man spends a lifetime cultivating his way on earth. Nothing good can arise out of fearing for the worst or expecting a future to arrive as expected.
Remain resolute that the breadth of your life is measured by the memorable moments, instead of one’s lost direction. For contained within each period of uncertainty lies the opportunity to unearth your hidden potential.
