It Just Is.

"Once I secure that internship, life is gonna get so good,"

"I cannot wait to get into a relationship and feel loved again,"

"The next spiritual book will finally solve my problems and help me reach enlightenment,"

Sound familiar? It seems like the next best thing is the stepping stone to a better life experience. Eagerly, we pursue these goals, only to find ourselves worn out, unmotivated, or uninterested after a while. The shine, glamor, and excitement of our goals gradually dim. Then we start to sound like this:

"This internship wasn't the one for me. The next one will be a much better experience,"

"That relationship was useless. I'll find my one true love for real this time,"

"That book was definitely not for me. There's a flash sale of books written by spiritual gurus and motivational speakers nearby. I'm sure one of them has to have the answers I'm looking for,"

Get the gist? It’s a vicious, never-ending cycle that results in increased desperation, dissatisfaction, and depression.

I’m going to let you in a little secret. You don’t actually want these desires! Yes, you heard that right.

What you truly want is a deeper satisfaction where your quality of life is exponentially increased.

Now don’t get all worked up thinking you have to plow away to the depths of your subconscious mind or go on a spiritual retreat to unlock this infinite fulfillment.

There’s a way to experience this expansive, joyous, and authentic feeling that requires a simple decision to see what’s present without your train of thought.

When you strip the mind chatter, stories, and meanings, you get to experience the raw, present moment without the filter of your brain. You feel sensations in your body as just sensations, not anxiety. You see your environment as just a place, not a dreary office cubicle.

The confusion, seeking, and emptiness fades away. You no longer feel the need to interact with the world through the lens of the mind. Instead, you see what is, which is pure consciousness/awareness/beingness. It’s what we are all ultimately seeking anyway: the present moment.

The truth of the present moment is not overlaid with what we’re thinking. It’s existing as the wholeness, fulfillment, and contentment it is. All of our suffering, mental health issues, and constant searching can be rooted in being disconnected from the true present moment. Our thoughts start feeling so heavy and real. The smallest things begin to trigger us. Doubts seem more overpowering than before. Before we know it, we are deep into a pit of misery that has us frantically searching for the light that we think exists by clawing away at the dirt walls around us.

However, it just takes a decision to see your current situation without the stories of:

• “My life is miserable,”
• “I am beyond depressed/anxious,”
• “The world is against me”,
• “Everything seems so difficult”
• “I’m not where I wanted to be,”

The list is endless.

When we take a second to hang these perspectives on a rack and look at the bare present moment, we realize that things are much more simple than what our minds are convincing us.

The present moment isn’t this constant degradation or criticism. The present moment isn’t the fears that darken every turn of your life. The present moment isn’t a threat.

The present just is.

Experiencing the peace of this “is-ness” is the ultimate gratification we are seeking. From here, we naturally experience the emotions, events, identities, and desires we’ve been craving for so long. The world naturally reflects the peace, fulfillment, and contentment we are being through the form of our desires.

Popular media and society will only make you feel like the next car, job, house, or promotion is the key to happiness. In essence, it fuels the idea of external validation. This false message has us toiling to our wit’s ends to “attain happiness”. But the beauty of life is that there is nothing to be gained, worked so tremendously hard for, or achieved. What we ultimately want is the unlimited, explosive, and unconditional satisfaction of being present. This precious feeling is available to us 24/7, 7 days a week, no matter how trapped you feel.

All it takes is a decision to see what is.