I was having a conversation with a friend recently about what I do when life gets difficult. I would like to be able to say that life is never difficult and there are never any obstacles placed in front of me, but I would be lying. At the same time, it struck me that I have never consciously thought about what I do and how do I move through. What do I do to keep myself grounded and focused when life happens, which it is bound to do?
What I am coming to understand and remember is that things are what they appear to be at that moment and it is my attitude, which determines how I move through and view the situation. One of the things I am coming to realize is that when I am grounded in the present, then things are never quite as complex or dark as they may seem when I am allowing the past or the fears of the future to affect how I view and understand a situation. For example, the other day I was running late in getting to work and for a moment I found myself embodying the fear of what my supervisor might say or do and what my students would think and all of a sudden the being 15 minutes late began to take on a life of its own. Then the voice of the present, said ok, come on back and let’s do what you can do. So I texted one of my students and she told the class. I let my boss know and she did my IAS forms for me, which saved me having to find someone to bring them back to her. Problem solved and my students thought it was cool that I too have those days and you just do your best and laugh it off. It is similar to what Deepak Chopra suggests, feel it, release it, and then celebrate that you released it. I felt the angst, released it, and then went to my last class of the semester and celebrated it.
Why would I hold on to something and cause myself additional suffering and drama in my life? I would only do that if I did not love myself unconditionally, but I do. Each day I am finding there are so many opportunities to remind myself to live in the present and not be a time traveler. Each day is filled with opportunities to eliminate unnecessary suffering and drama in my life by loving myself unconditionally.
I also remembered that it is through my ability to continue to love myself unconditionally that I am able to love others unconditionally. That does not mean I have to like them, but it enables me to send them loving and positive energies in all situations. When I remind myself that I have what it takes within me to love those I do not like unconditionally, then I also have what it takes to love myself unconditionally, even when I am having one of those moments when I do not like myself very much. I also remember that the Ultimate Consciousness loves me unconditionally, regardless of what I am or not doing in my life.
So just for today, I am going to choose to live in the present and love myself unconditionally because I am worthy of being loved and that all of humanity is as well.