Have you ever thought about the fact that you may be a diamond covered in horse crap? In order to find happiness or well being you have to discover the essence of who you are. Much of our energy is spent on pursuing. We pursue a lot.
As an example, here is a list of things we pursue:
- Careers
- Education
- Relationships
- Financial incentives
- Goals
- Weight Loss
- Material possessions
We believe that if we have “this” or “that” we will be happy! Our attempts at happiness seem to be in a constant flux and can make us feel like we are on a roller coaster. We feel better when we have, do or achieve what we consider the “right” things. Our good feelings stem from getting more of the “things” we identify as the goal we achieve that will make us happy. So why is it we often achieve the goal and it’s still not enough? We find other things to focus on outside ourselves to pursue. We believe some where out in the vast ocean of life there lays a treasure with a diamond in. Once we find this diamond, all will be well.
Do you believe your happiness comes from being around a person? Do you do a lot or put up with things just to keep this person around? Do you think your well being comes from achieving a certain income and having more material things than your friend or neighbor? Maybe for you, it comes from a food, alcohol, sex or a drug? What you crave and desire in order to fill your personal pot may have a hold on you. You will do whatever it takes to get the high and the sensation of elation that comes from achieving it. It’s really the same thing; it just wears a different mask. Just like you and the persona you where like a mask. We are very strategic about getting what we want and if someone or something is a threat, we will do what we can to maintain our status quo with what we want.
It’s a fact that whatever you chose to believe will appear to be true. It’s a self fulfilling prophecy. However, well being is not something, like a goal, that can be pursued. It’s not until later in life, many realize there is no achievement outside of you greater than what is already within yourself. If you really want to the diamond in the rough, you must turn the attention away from all the outside people and things and turn your attention inward.
Our lives go up and down emotionally like a roller coaster trying to live up to what we believe is our self image. We try to defend and preserve the “persona” we think we are. We go into control mode. Trying to control others or situations for our own benefit. We want to feel we can manipulate situations to best serve the needs of our persona and personal missions. If you see yourself as the center of the universe and you believe that you are entitled to be, you will operate more like a superstar and expect others to cooperate. If they don’t well that doesn’t match your self image and you will do what you can to preserve your superstar dome. This is the nature of the beast.
We believe our self image and self esteem are keys to success in life. What is the key is what you believe about yourself and that it makes sense to the truth of who you really are. Otherwise, you will walk around feeling like a phony and it will not resonate well with your soul. That persona that you achieved will lead you to the same let downs time and time again until you are ready to shed the act and get real about the essence of who you are really are. You may learn that what has been motivating you for much of your life was from an unhealed wound in your past. Who would you have become had there been no wounds? We can get lost in the wounds and the achievements easily and it can take an enormous amount of our energy and time to sort it out, if we have lost touch with our inner diamond, which has been there all along. That inner diamond is the source, the power, the essence and where all the answers and satisfactions lie.
What if you learned today that you don’t have to try so hard to be happy? There is not anything to pursue or complicate your life with to get it. Misery and joy are not outside of us. They dwell within us. We can shift our thoughts knowing we have the choice and we do have control. The negative thoughts that make you unhappy begin and end with you. Training our mind to relaxation, visualize, reflect and meditate are great ways to harness a monkey mind. The monkey mind can create chaos .The mind that lacks real perspective and is stuck in the world of possibilities that are endless. It’s when we gain perspective of the present moment and actually sit in stillness we arrive back home to a place of peace. The peace we were born with. This pure place of innocence and loving energy.
It may take some conditioning to find our way home. Take consistent measures for 90 days in order to see yourself in a new light. Get ready to shed a few layers that have kept you from seeing beyond your body and the material things. Wouldn’t you rather spend the rest of your life really happy and not faking happiness or feeling insatiable? When you connect with the real treasure, the diamond inside, you will find your much desired peace and happiness. The troubles will melt away and maybe even the pounds.