I highly recommend this NY Times article:
In my previous blog post, I touched briefly on the idea of asking ourselves more positive questions and re-framing the negative by looking for the gift.
Why?
Because it changes how we experience seemingly “negative” experiences which is the pathway of non-attachment to outcome and emotional resilience. And I don’t think anyone could disagree that great emotional resilience will be needed in the coming weeks, months and years.
It’s important to understand that we’re not trying to repress or suppress our negative thoughts and feelings. Instead we ACKNOWLEDGE them, but then we make a conscious choice to focus on something meaningful/ positive to us. (If you have had sessions with me you will know about the power of conscious choice to change your life).
This article points very wisely to finding greater meaning. As someone who encourages people to find purpose in their lives, it seems obvious to me, but I don’t think that it’s all that obvious in society… Because the “pursuit of happiness” in its original meaning has morphed into the “pursuit of money” and the “pursuit of things”.
“Things” AND money have NO INTRINSIC VALUE except for the meaning we choose to give them. So pursuing them ends up being meaningless too.
To search for meaning, is to look within yourself and decide what allows your natural states of love, joy and peace to bubble up and overflow. What can you offer others from your internal well of love, peace and joy? What unique expression do you want to share with others to encourage their internal well of love, peace and joy to overflow, so that they too can share their talents with others….. And so meaning spreads, from one person to another until we all are contributing to life in ways that fulfil us and others.
Not a bad light at the end of the tunnel to focus on eh?
PS – meaning and purpose doesn’t have to be super lofty – maybe the meaning for you is to see the beauty and miracle in everyday life and want to share that awe and amazement with others in whatever is your unique expression. Or maybe this is a great time to foster “togetherness” with the people in your lives. In the midst of such negativity, all candles add to the light in the darkness.