Don’t fight what you can’t see
A force that drives everything in our lives, what a tricky thing to imagine. Many of us fight the idea. We go about life robotically, unaware and oblivious. As for me, I feel a power greater than anything we’ve seen or felt is at work. I refer to it as the Universal Current. As source of energy that interjects into our lives in order to maintain order, or as the Stoics liked to call it, Natural Law.
I know what you’re thinking, “know he’s gone too far. If I agree with him, we’d both be wrong”. I respect this, we’re entitled to opinions. For today though, be receptive. Open your mind to the idea. As one of my favorite quotes says, “in order to find happiness, you must lose your mind”. Think about it.
Discovering mindfulness has introduced me to new ideas, new ways to view the world. Universal Current was something I believed in for some time but was unable to conceptualize. More so, it scared me. The thought of being not in control scares most. I have written about taking back control of your life.
We control our thoughts, dreams, and actions. We control our views on life, and the world as a whole. This is all great, right? But what about the things out of our control. Those sneaky little life anecdotes that show up out of nowhere. The unexpected events. When you find yourself saying “everything happens for a reason”. This my friends, is the Universal Current.
Before I go further, let me tell you a quick story. I was at the beach with a friend. This friend is an incredible swimmer. His resume includes 5 years of water polo, 4 years on a swim team, and a certified lifeguard. Dude’s pretty stacked. On this day, the ocean currents were horrendous. My buddy decided to go for a swim. To make a long story short, he got stuck in a riptide, a turbulent whirlwind of ocean currents moving in various directions. Hopelessly, I sat on the beach watching him struggle. Literally, for 20 minutes, he fought, and fought, all the while making no progress. The problem was, he was fighting the current. Had he let go and went with it, he would have washed ashore 50 yards down the beach unscathed. Eventually he made it to shore, battered, but alive.
Sometimes, we just need to let go. Focus our energy on what we can control and not on the things we can’t. A beautiful interpretation of this is the serenity prayer said in every Alcoholics Anonymous meeting:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Things are going to happen, that’s life. Your package didn’t arrive, you didn’t receive the promotion, they cancelled season 3 of Keeping up with the Kardashians (thank god). At the end of the day though, who gives a fuck. How in the world can you control these events? Let me answer for you, you can’t. So why bother trying.
See the event for what it is, control your perception, adjust accordingly, and take massive action with unrelenting will to overcome. Ryan Holliday says in The Obstacle is the Way, “there is always a counter-move, always an escape or a way through, so there is no reason to get worked up”.
Letting go mitigates feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. Simple cure for complex problems. Sometimes this is easier said than done. I get that. But this is why you train. Every single day developing physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Be a professional athlete in the sport of life. Train yourself for success. Become 1% better every day.
You think Russell Wilson, the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks walks onto the field every Sunday not having practiced all week. Fuck no. He trains not for the good moments, but for the bad. When things are good, he’s in his flow-state. It’s the bad moments that require his conscious attention. Rather than react and possibly make a decision that negatively effects himself and the team, he is able to slow things down. Considering all options, deciding which he feels best fits the situation, puts all his energy towards it, and executes.
Get out there and get it. Move forward in your life intentionally. You will meet adversity, difficulty, and obstacles in pursuit of a life well lived . This is inevitable. No matter what, we must continue pushing, moving forward with disciplined actions. Don’t ever quit! Be excited for these moments. They make you better.
Are you going through life or growing through life?