No Need to Wait
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single minute before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank
Every moment we have in life is an opportunity to improve ourselves and the world we live in. No matter what has happened, whether it was years ago or moments ago, this new moment always offers us new opportunities. We do not need to let our past dictate our future. Each day we have a fresh start if we are able to let go of old habits and tendencies and choose to embrace the opportunity in front of us in the new moments of our lives. The time to improve ourself is always now. In fact, it is the only time in which we can engage in meaningful activities and consciously cultivate the qualities that we want to develop in our lives.
You can be the person you want to be right now. In this moment in whatever situation arises, if you are mindful, you will always have an opportunity to engage in it in a way that honors your values. We may not always respond or act in skillful and meaningful ways. But as soon as we realize this, we now have a choice to improve ourselves. One of the keys is to remember that, no matter how unskillful we may have been, at that moment we did the best we could. Generally, we never purposely try to make mistakes or ruin our lives. Given the situation and our emotions and personal development at that moment, we acted or reacted in the only way we could. If we can remember this, we can be gentle with ourselves and learn from our missteps. They provide us with the life lessons that empower us to make wiser choices in the new moments of our lives.
Every time you cultivate healthy, beneficial thoughts and engage in compassionate activities that alleviate suffering, either for yourself or others, you make the world a better place. Every moment provides opportunities to alleviate suffering or cultivate genuine happiness if you are aware of them and the opportunities they offer. – John Bruna, December 12, 2015.
The above is a an excerpt from one the daily emails sent to the members of the Mindful Life Community. I invite you to explore our community and consider joining.
