Why Are Simple Universal Truths So Difficult to Live?
In the past 5 years, I have been contemplating concepts such as, living in the present moment, mindfulness, universal oneness, trust, surrender, and alignment. I have read books, listened to podcasts, and dug into all of the simple truths of these vast concepts. Most universal truths boil down to similar conclusions: we are always supported, there is nothing to do except be present, life is much easier than we make it, and we are all one. I can talk about these concepts all day, so why do they feel so difficult to consistently live out?
Maybe it’s because I’m human and not some Buddhist monk who has reached a higher consciousness, but still…you’d think that since I can understand the concepts, they would eventually *click.* And…they probably will, in about 75 years.
I think, because, I do so much work to prioritize my spiritual practices (meditate, journal, read, practice yoga and mindfulness, etc.), I expect life to be easy. I expect to rid myself of all worldly desires and live as some holier than thou person who is in a blissful state at all times. Heads up, that’s far from reality.
I think it’s an unrealistic expectation to think it’s that simple. Because, life isn’t that simple and neither are humans.
The Purpose of The Practices
I get frustrated when I realize that I’m not as advanced in my practice as I thought. I wonder, “what’s the point of everything that I’m doing if I still get hung up over the small things?” When I know, that the point isn’t to eliminate the problems or triggers but rather ease the aftermath. The practices help you to react to life. They give you tools and perspective to cushion the fall, metaphorically speaking. For example, whenever I move to a new place, I feel all out of sorts and go through a mini internal crisis questioning all of my decisions. In those moments, I could spiral into self doubt and frustration but instead, I tap into my spiritual toolbox and meditate, journal, or simply take a few deep breaths back into the present moment. The tools help me come home to myself.
Giving Yourself Grace
I think all humans, especially in western society, are overachievers. We expect ourselves to be perfect–to have it all and do it all. I fall into the same trap, all too often. This expectation leaves no room for error; no room to be sad, feel chaotic, or make a mistake. The truth is, sometimes we just don’t know what to do. We don’t always have to have the answer. We don’t always have to figure it out. I believe that we are a society obsessed with fixing but fixing is not the work; but rather, accepting and moving on. Non–attachment, people! You know this! But it’s a lot easier said than done, right?
Speaking of…
Easier said than done, I think that’s the key here. These practices, tools, and universal truths are all easier said than done. It’s a lot easier to say, “I trust and surrender to my life path,” but to actually live in a way that is in accordance to that truth is hard. We are programmed to believe that we always have to be doing something. Passivity is laziness and laziness is a flaw within ourselves. I’ve talked about this before but, surrender is not passive. It can be but in it’s purest form, it’s not.
To surrender is to stop resisting what is. It’s to stop worrying about the why and how and just take each day at a time and leave the details up to the higher power that is. Surrender requires action. Working with the Universe requires us to actually *work* with the Universe rather than just letting life happen to us.
As I am writing this post, I am in a sticky place in my life. I am questioning my purpose (uh…ok, Nikki, this happens like every three months lol), my path, and feeling bored with what I have been doing for the past few months. I write this post as a reminder to myself, and to you, that it’s okay to be in the sticky place. It’ll pass and the path forward will become clear.
I think, maybe, why these universal truths are so difficult to truly life out is because we want them to be more complicated than they are. I don’t think it’s a bad thing that it likely takes a whole lifetime to understand just how simple a good life can be–all of this is a part of the practice, and the plan. You are exactly where you are meant to be. Don’t take life too seriously, it’s supposed to be fun.