Moving Forward

“Discover a Life Beyond the Safety Bubble You’ve Trapped Yourself In.”

On Friday I will be ending what has been one of the most influential chapters of my life. It is a bittersweet moment because the things I have grown accustomed to will no longer be.

Moving forward is such a scary concept full of uncertainties. The realm of the unknown is supposed to an eternal abyss of hope & happiness. It is here that we should find joy & opportunity. It is here that we are supposed to harness the knowledge & experiences of the past to influence the future. Well actually, who says that is what will happen? Who is to say that the future will not be full of more disappointment and/or misfortune than we have ever known? Who is to say that sadness and distress will not find it’s way into our lives repeatedly? Who is to say what our experience will be? Who is to say what our expectations should or should not be? —- In all honesty, no one. No one knows what will happen tomorrow. No one knows what unfortunate or extravagant events may fall in our laps. What we do know, is that each moment is a new one.

The practice of Mindfulness teaches us to be present in each moment. It teaches us not to look/dwell too far in the past or future. Quotes like, “Remember to enjoy the flowers while you can still smell them.” Speak directly to this concept. We will ultimately miss out on life trying to avoid recreating or tarnishing it. It is easy for us to get so stuck in making decisions with the fear of either, repeating a mistake or creating a new one. The reality about making mistakes is that, no matter how hard we try not to, we are still going to make them. It is very difficult for us to accept this.

In moving forward, we must Enjoy Each and Every Moment. It is both a challenge and a reward to be able to not place so many expectations on ourselves and our lives. It has become habit to do both. It has also been this habit that has negatively fed characteristics like; extreme perfectionism, lack of self-compassion, over exerted self-esteem, grandiose thinking, etc. It is these habits that give us malicious merit for extreme negative self talk and ultimate disappointment.

In moving forward, we must Enjoy Each and Every Moment. It is imperative that we repeat this to ourselves, over and over again. The more we say it, the more we believe it. Then and only then will the behavior consistently follow. Do not think, do no try. Just be. Accept each moment for whatever feeling it brings you and do not judge it. Do not tell yourself what you could have or should have done. Be as kind to yourself as you would be to a toddler who does not know any better.