There are a lot of things we think matter in life - how much money we have, what career we choose, whom we marry, what our kids grow up to be. And let there be no mistake - these things are important. However, are they the most important things?
Out of all the things in life that we think matter, I would argue that what's most important is your inner environment. Specifically, how you, the one in there, respond to the unfolding of life around you.
Let's say someone says something that triggers a response in you. Fine, that's out of your control. The fact that they said something, and that a response was triggered inside of you, are two occurrences that you did not have a hand in creating.
However, how you choose to respond to those occurrences is fully on you.
Do you yell back at them? Do you walk away and blame yourself? Do you suppress your anger and pretend like it didn't happen?
Or, do you accept that someone said something that caused a great deal of pain inside of you? Do you accept that it hurts? Do you recognize that there's a fire burning inside of you, and without judging yourself or the other person, acknowledge that it's painful?
Same situation, two very different outcomes. All because you either took control, or didn't, of the thing that matters most - your inner response.
You can tell me that you dislike this blog, and I might get offended. Fine, I'm upset. But, what I choose to do with that reaction taking place inside of me - what I choose to do when responding to you - well that's fully on me. I have to own that, not you or anyone else.
What matters most is not what you said to me, or the reaction that it created in me. What matters most is how I choose to respond to what you said and what it created in me.
In your life, to whom, or to what, are you delegating control of your inner state?
Is the outside world in charge of your every move? Is your current mood driving your actions, and therefore the results of your life?
Or is there something deeper at the source of your actions, regardless of your moods? Is there a deeper part of you that knows what's true, that remains unchanged, which is the center of your will?
You, me, everyone - we all have to own our inner state. That's on us, and no one else.
People can take a lot from us, no question. Mother nature can certainly destroy a big part of our life conditions.
But there's always, always one thing - the thing that matters most - of which only we are the keepers. And that's our inner state. We own that. I own that. You own that. And no one can ever take that power from you.
Live with substance!
Gabe Orlowitz
Comments