“An unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates
I do not believe that happiness is brought about by luck or circumstance. Instead, I believe it is a choice.
We all know at last one person who walks through life complaining about everything and everyone; that person who criticizes others and constantly seeks out a willing participant to join in his or her rant. For me personally, this is an approach to living I never quite understood as in the end, the person who truly suffers is the one complaining.
This is not to say that constructive feedback may not prove helpful to resolve or change a situation. But incessant complaining is not productive. Rather than seeing life as half empty, why not step back and find a way to change your perspective to see the fullness and richness of life.
View yourself as an artist and your life as your finest work. When admiring a piece of artwork, you step back to see the piece as a whole ~ thereby changing your perspective. This “stepping back” approach also proves useful when looking at our own lives. As we choose the brushstrokes and colors with which we wish to paint our daily canvas, stepping back every now and again provides us with clarity. It is this pause and clarity that allows us to be more responsive and less reactive.
When we choose to live with anger, criticism and an overall judgmental attitude, we distort and cloud our perspective. This distortion in turn influences our thoughts, words and actions, causing us to be reactionary. A cycle then begins, as these emotions distort our thinking and distorted thinking further enhances this negative way of living.
When we sit in the midst of it all, struggling with the mind’s chaos, we are left with smoke and mirrors distorting our canvas. “Stepping back” allows for quiet and calm contemplation. We are better able to SEE our lives with a clearer perspective. It is through this clarity that we gain awareness and perhaps even acceptance for the imperfections of a life well-lived.
Why not choose to SEE the positive aspects of life and living? Step back and see the fullness rather than focusing on the emptiness ~ and always choose happiness.
Namaste ~ Shari
