become a member Cost as low as $4/month and enjoy unlimited reading of the TSLL blog.
“To be happy, you have to ignore two things: other people’s lives and other people’s opinions.”
“To be happy, you have to ignore two things: other people’s lives and other people’s opinions.”
The commercial world thrives on competition, comparison, anything that involves demonstrating what is good enough and what is not, and in doing so, tries to motivate us to do something outside of ourselves to meet arbitrary criteria of a successful outcome.
Frankly, it’s an exhausting way to live. And often expensive, or at least draining your limited resources that would actually be fulfilling for your unique lifestyle.
The idiom “keeping up with the Joneses” isn’t just an American phrase that refers to the constant unconscious urge we adopt to keep up with those around us, it’s also a British one, and I’d venture to guess that most cultures have something that somehow involves competition in some way to make a living or maintain a lifestyle. This is normal because it is human nature to notice what others are doing.
But just because we notice doesn’t mean we have to let it affect our life choices. This is where Mastering our minds comes into play, and whether we allow our focus to be guided by others or by ourselves makes all the difference.
Opportunities to compare how we live our lives are everywhere. How to decorate one’s front porch, outdoor landscape, what car to drive, what ‘toys’ to buy for outdoor sporting activities (at least for people here in Bend, Oregon), what to wear, the daily list of things we observe is endless. Everywhere we turn – in a small neighborhood or a vast urban landscape – there are opportunities to compare or compete. It’s constant, even without looking at our social media feeds. Thinking about the vast number of possibilities for comparison can overwhelm us if we let it, but if we think we have a permanent peace of mind about how to live our lives, we can appreciate what we see without worrying about whether we’re following the zeitgeist. . . Because it doesn’t matter.
We can appreciate because we have a different steering wheel – ours Inner compass. We are not turning left, right or opposite because some sort of outside source says it is best. no We check in with our compass when something catches our eye or attention, and after a while, we don’t have to anymore because we’ve found our journey and direction. In other words, the life that makes us alive and the purposes that nourish that life into existence.
The simple choice we make every day is to not compete and not compare.
When we choose to observe rather than be influenced, we stand firm but also with an open mind. Groundedness consists in knowing that we have the skills to navigate the changes and opportunities that will cross our path. But, to see the opportunities that are the open doors, even the small windows we are looking for, we need to engage with the world. We have to keep an open mind. It’s an ongoing practice of actively balancing both.
I chose this photo of Nell for today’s post because in many ways she embodies both qualities – standing grounded on solid rock and looking up and around. We can do it too, and that’s what makes life fun. We allow ourselves to believe that we can balance learning the necessary skills and using our unique strengths (as often described as gifts) and then prioritizing that curiosity is a worthwhile guide as we actively engage in the present moment to discover what it will reveal and honor how we respond to it.
Here’s to starting the new week, and the new month, on a sane and open-minded foot. sister journey
~Learn more about TSLL Contentment Masterclass Where you can learn the skills to master your mind along with many other life enhancing tools to ground yourself with clarity while daring yourself to soar.
Similar posts you might enjoy
