“What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.” Henry David Thoreau

The outer circumstances and events of our lives are like the outlines in a coloring book. We get to do the coloring; we choose the colors, accents, and shading. The events of our lives are made meaningful by what we bring to them – our efforts, inspirations, and motivations. We have the power to make our lives meaningful by living intentionally and recognizing the value we bring into our daily activities.

What we do in our lives is not nearly as important as why we do what we do. Regardless of our circumstances, all of us have the potential within us to improve ourselves and the world we live in. We have the ability to cultivate wisdom and the immeasurable attitudes of equanimity, loving-kindness, compassion, and empathetic joy. In doing so, we transform ourselves and the world around us. In the current circumstances we find ourselves in, with a pandemic, fires, economic and social upheaval, it is more important than ever to develop our resiliency through our connection with others.

Instead of just listening to a coworker, we can listen to them with compassion and care. Instead of just smiling at someone, we can smile at them with loving-kindness, wishing them well from our hearts. Instead of merely enduring a difficult situation, we can bring the wisdom of equanimity and grow from it. What lives within us is our innate worthiness and value that allows us the ability to make ourselves and the world better.

Today, I invite you to focus on your motivations and attitude throughout the day with meaningful intention. See if you can bring productive attitudes and healthy motivations into your daily activities and interactions with others. Try to make them all as beneficial as possible. Take note when you do this how it changes your experience.

– John Bruna

From the daily guidance in Mindful Life Community – Copyright © 2020 Mindful Life Program, All rights reserved.