Sunday, March 4, 2012

The Thing About the Future

The thing about the future is that it can be basically whatever we make it both individually and collectively. What the future becomes for you specifically is within your control. However, being brave enough to take your own future and to shape it in the way you actually want it to be is something else again. Just because the future can be created by you doesn't mean it will be easy. The easiest thing is to move away from a place you don't want to be physically or internally, but then what do you do? Usually, the problem with going some place else is that "You are there." Because wherever you go there you are. And if you don't like yourself wherever you are living now, you also might not like yourself wherever you go to on earth or whoever you are with on earth. So, maybe understanding this is more important than you originally thought.

Maybe the clue is watching Buddhist monks set themselves on fire. Why are they doing this? They are saying that whatever is happening where they are is not acceptable but they refuse to harm anyone else. So, they set themselves on fire as ultimate protest. They are taking full responsibility for what is happening both around them and inside of themselves without blaming anyone else. They are simply saying, "This is not acceptable but I will not harm or kill another even though this is not acceptable.

So, maybe taking responsibility for all your thoughts and emotions and feelings and spirit is the beginning to something really great in your life. By taking responsibility for your life you stop blaming others for whatever has happened or will happen in your life. And so you can then both internally and externally go and do whatever you need to. Because the ultimate dis-empowerment is blaming others for all your problems. My favorite statement in regard to this is: "There are no problems only opportunities." If you don't blame anyone including yourself you can then look at the opportunities inside ANY situation. If you are alone you can create a new relationship. If you don't have a job you can see what to do with your time until you get another job. If you need food, you can go find some. If you need friends you can go make some. If you need a place to stay you can go find a place to stay. Life is full of opportunities if there is no blame on anyone including yourself. "There are NO problems. There are ONLY opportunities. So, therefore the FUTURE is ONLY infinite opportunities. NOthing else!

No comments: