Standing on the coast of the Baja Peninsula of Mexico, I soaked in the power of the waves cresting and crashing on the shore. Time slowed as I watched the energy build in each wave, waiting with anticipation for the first drop to spill from the peak. A symphony arose from the breaking waves, then a soft rush as the foamy edge of ocean hurried towards my toes.
The rhythmic sound was pure poetry, the sensory experience an impossible mix of salty lullaby and power drink. Jon Kabat-Zinn made it sound so easy when he said,
You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.
Because let’s be honest. Sometimes rocks get in the way.
And despite our best intentions, sometimes life just gets too messy to maintain clarity.
Without the messy parts, though, we would remain stagnant. No mess, no opportunity for growth. As Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Zen Buddhist spiritual leader wrote,
No mud, no lotus.
The good news is that we can transform the rocky parts of our journey into gifts and opportunities by shifting our perspective. We can intentionally lift ourselves out of the spray.
When we get out of our heads and into our hearts, our lens widens. We’re able to identify thought patterns, habits, and relationships that no longer serve us and realign with what matters most to us.
Even when our thinking mind may tell us we are helpless victims of our circumstances, we can call out the lies that hold us back from our own agency. Shifting perspective to consider the gifts and opportunities of turbulent waters is the first step to heal the wounds of those sharp edged rocks we hit.
Our outlook softens, and the waves become manageable…
With practice, we can recognize and intercept fear-based thinking that sabotages our innate capacity for joy, empathy, gratitude, curiosity, inspiration, awe, and love.
If these are qualities of mind you would like to experience more of, I would love to accompany you through my 12-Week Mental Fitness Training Program. Sound interesting? Schedule a free consultation to see if this offering is a good fit for you.
In the meantime, may your waves be smooth and easily navigable, while still moving you forward.
