We all know that one man’s trash is another’s treasure. But did you know that one man’s wealth is another’s trash?
Here’s what I mean by that. We all have blessings in this world. No matter who you are, where you are, or what you have, you are blessed to be alive in this world. The only difference between living in blessings and living in misery is the story we tell ourselves and where we put our focus.
A regular person dwells on life’s misfortunes. A spiritual person understands that every misfortune is an opportunity to practice tranquility in the face of hardship.
A regular person craves a luxurious lifestyle. A spiritual person uses life’s luxuries as a tool to practice maintaining inner peace and not getting carried away with greed, lust or desire.
So through life’s inevitable ups and downs, a regular person is always either hating their unfortunate circumstances or desperately clinging to pleasure. They are stuck in endless misery.
A spiritual person uses life’s ups and downs as a training ground for further developing inner peace. The spiritual person is able to welcome the good and the bad in life, see’s them both equally, and is able to let them go when it’s their time to leave.
It’s not the external situations that determine our happiness in life. It’s the seeds of fear, attachment, hatred and desire that lie inside us that we either choose to nurture and water, or we let wither away.
When I was visiting a poor farming village in India, I met people rich in spirit, community, family and love. I didn’t see people on social media staring at pictures of wealthy people in foreign countries and longing to leave. I saw people exactly where they were, focused on everything they had, present in their dynamic lives, and overflowing with the abundance of nature and companionship.
In every story, the narrator shapes the context and tone. You are your own narrator. How you see your life determines the quality of your life. When you realize the everchanging impermanent nature of reality, that ups and downs will keep coming, and that bad stuff is often disguised as good and good as bad, then you can remain at peace through it all. There’s no point resisting or clinging to something that will inevitably change. So we might as well welcome it all with open arms, and equally let it leave with unclenched fists.
Be grateful for the spiritual growth opportunities that hardships bring us. Be grateful for life’s pleasures that teach us how to calm a ravenous mind. This is how we keep growing in presence and peace no matter what ups and downs come our way.
Much love,
Todd
P.S. Here are a few other topics that I covered this week:
- This Is How You Free Yourself from Every Addiction (Listen Here)
- Discover the 22 Simple Habits That Can Change Your Life Forever (Read Here) ***Watch the full video on the hows and whys of these habits here. Get the eBook to keep them handy and really make these life-changing habits stick.
3. “They say the people who move up in business handle stress the best.” Not exactly. Here’s my take on it.
