Trust in life

It happens every once in a while, I feel a subtle change in the direction of the world and life in general, at least the life around me. An “energetic read”, you could say, though it’s really just about observing patterns.

The theme of the year has made itself know: “Stay calm and it’ll probably work out”. I say “probably” because it’s important to accept that it might not work out.

Without that acceptance, denial becomes a replacement for inner peace and inner peace will be an important condition for some of us to float comfortably above the surface of the water where we might otherwise drown.

The acceptance of potential failure will sometimes be necessary to succeed, I can see this situation playing out more than usual this year and perhaps beyond that.

Think of how many times a problem was made worse by a reckless attempt to prevent or solve the problem. It occurs on every level, from world events to the thoughts we don’t say outlook and our subconscious reactions.

The more we fear the end, the faster we will bring it upon ourselves. The more we fear war, the closer it gets. The more we fear failure, the more destined we are to fail.

Fear, like anger, serve a purpose only as momentary warnings to help being out awareness to a potential threat (or in anger’s case, an emotional blockage). As soon as we are made aware of the reality of threat, the fear no longer serves a purpose.

Of course our minds get stuck on things. Being able to let go will be the best skill to have right now.

Just look at the markets. Look at all this tension relating to borders and sovereignty. Look at the inflation and news about health or the environment. It doesn’t matter what it is.

I’ve been cultivating the ability to let go of fear and anger as well as negative thinking as soon as it stops serving a purpose.

I am optimistic about the future because I have no other choice. A positive future can not be built out of negative emotions. If somehow we manage to build it, it will be flimsy and fall apart as soon as challenged. That’s what we are seeing right now, the crumbling of flimsy structures.

This is a very dangerous and volatile time, I agree with my father who is obsessed with reading the news and predicting doomsday scenarios. It does not look good.

That’s ok though. It hasn’t looked good before and things don’t always spiral out of control. There are still more tools than ever to create a positive situation where more and more people can live lives that fulfill them and that ha e less suffering than before.

Optimism makes it happen. Realistic optimism. Recognizing we may fail and accepting that and trying our best anyway. That is the state where the ideas that move us are born and where they flourish.

It doesn’t work out for everyone. That’s true. Some will not make it. But in the end, nobody makes it out alive, so as long as we put everything into it, it’s just about submitting to the flow.

Practice comes in little things. I practice all the time by manipulating my emotional state like a sculptor manipulators their sculpture.

Yesterday I wrote a post on the Beatles and their impact on society that was deleted by my stupid decision to keep two tabs with my post open and accidentally closing the one I was editing and saving the one that I wasn’t.

Then I starting writing again and my internet went out momentarily refreshing my browser before an auto update. I spent an hour and a half writing the article twice and when it got deleted the second time I had that “fuck everything” face on. I acknowledged my anger and let it pass through me.

“What else could i be doing right now? What would be more fun or comfortable than getting angry?”

So I put my phone down and did some exercise then played with duolingo a bit.

My father messaging me about the potential of nuclear war and how it would effect all of us, even in places that weren’t attacked. Or my students bringing up that a volcano could melt the polar ice caps and cause massive floods and other disasters around the world.

I feel the fear. I acknowledge it. I let it go.

I draw my power from the acceptance that if everything goes to shit, it just goes to shit and that is ok too. It’s not preferable. We can work hard to make sure it doesn’t go to shit but my efforts have the greatest effect when I’m not scared.

Once I started internalizing that, it’s really easy to just let go of fear or anger.

You can call this trust in life.

It’s something cultivated over time and with a lot of practice necessary.

“Who benefits from this anger (or fear)?”

Being able to decide consciously to use your focus to direct your emotions is a sign of a true adult. It’s actually something that very few people are exposed to. There are not many adults out there, at least not nearly as many as there are children pretending to be adults.

The future will require adults. These flimsy structures on which freedom and prosperity are built will not hold much longer. It will require optimism. If you have a choice between pessimism which leads to certain death or suffering and optimism which offers a chance to survive and thrive, which will you choose.

I know which one I will choose.

🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎