Life can be
perceived as either an inspiring challenge or a
dispiriting struggle. When we perceive life as a
struggle, we are continually confronted with
situations that overwhelm us and bring up our inner
confusion and helplessness. When we allow life to
be a challenge, each area of importance brings an
opportunity for mastery.
- Laura Day in
The Circle
The above quote is another example of something I
am continually speaking and writing about - The
Power of Perspective. Laura Day reminds us that
the outcome of any given circumstance depends
entirely on the perception that we bring to the
situation.
But you already know that - don't you?
So do I.
So why is it so hard to actually live by
this idea? There are so many things we know we
ought to be doing, but somehow we fall into
old patterns of reaction and behavior. Our "power of
perspective" seems to be more of a "power of
retrospective" and we can see how we really
wanted
to react only long after the situation has passed.
"There's a difference between knowing the path
and walking the path." This is a line from the
movie The Matrix and I think it sums up one
of the biggest issues facing society today.
Intellectually, we know what we would like to do,
but we don't do it because we let our reflexive
reactions and learned behaviour dictate our course
of action.
I believe that the key to overcoming this
"automatic response" is something I call Mindful
Awareness. When we are mindful of each moment,
we can begin to live our lives on purpose, rather
than by default. Once we are able to do that, it
will be much easier to choose the "inspiring
challenge" point of view.
ENJOY NOW!
For every difficulty that you
meet head-on, a gift will be given; for everything
taken away, there will be something even better
replacing it.
- Laura Day from the book The Circle
Copyright (c) 2003-2004, all rights reserved.
National Library of Canada ISSN 1708-0606
You may copy, forward or distribute Mindful Moment provided that this
copyright notice and full information for contacting Patrick Mathieu are
included.
Contact him at: http://www.mathieu.com
or email patrick@mathieu.com.
