An all too typical reaction to a challenge, obstacle or difficulty is to deny responsibility.
An immature person – a child – responds to a challenge, obstacle or difficulty by saying, “They should do something.” Often without having a clue as to what that something should be.
An adolescent navigating a challenge, confronting an obstacle, or wishing to dismiss a difficulty suggests, “You should do something.” Or if they are beginning to assume personal responsibility for themselves will acknowledge, “We should do something.”
An adult – and I know you know I’m not talking about chronological age – an adult recognizes they are ultimately responsible for their own lives. So when confronting a circumstance, obstacle or difficulty, an adult will react with a knowing, “I should do something.”
But the mature adult – the man, woman or child who is responsible for his or her own life – when confronting a challenge, obstacle or difficulty will not assign blame, or transfer responsibility for what needs to be done to someone else. The mature adult will act. He or she will do something positive, something constructive.
Now there is an even more productive, enlightened, and powerful approach to life’s challenges, obstacles and difficulties.
An enlightened person accepts and loves the challenge, obstacle or difficulty, but then embraces a new and even greater circumstance.
An enlightened person observes the challenge, obstacle or difficulty and accepts and loves what is. They recognize an opportunity to change, grow and become. They respond by envisioning and embracing a new and greater circumstance. Changing their perspective, they act to allow and invite-in an even greater good. By changing their perspective, they change themselves and in fact, change the world.
Raising themselves above challenges, obstacles and difficulties enlightened people express more life.
My work – and I’ve got a long way to go yet – is to try to embrace challenges, obstacles and difficulties as opportunities; not to suffer and struggle; but in order realize a better perspective; in order to grow and mature and become, like an enlightened person.
By observing – not judging – by accepting and loving, by focusing only on a greater good and acting in accordance with that greater good, do we come into our true selves. And as our true selves we live our most fulfilling lives.
If you cultivate the right focus – a growing awareness of the truth: challenges, obstacles and difficulties are opportunities for us to change, grow and become – and act accordingly, then you will be counted amongst the enlightened.
Hope this lights up your day!
Love, Scott