How to End Your Suffering
/If you want to write, write.
If you want to dance, dance.
If you want to sing, sing.
The only person’s permission you need to do
exactly what you want is your own.
It’s truly that simple, though your inner chatter might not see it that way. That’s OK, the chatter can prattle on while you do what you want anyway. Self-betrayal takes many forms, and one of those is denying ourselves the time to indulge in our little pleasures. These pleasures bring us to life, they’re a demonstration of our joy, and they help us remember that we’re free.
You must make happy time.
In our modern, pandemic-experiencing world, time is doing strange things. On some days it takes 23 hours for 3 minutes to go by, while on other days it feels like I can’t catch my breath. Anyone else? In the absence of places to go and people to see, we may find ourselves with spare time if we’re not cooking, cleaning, schooling, working, and otherwise doing what needs to be done. Thus, we’re not guaranteed any extra time, so we must make it.
We must carve out and fiercely protect at least a few minutes each day to do what lights us up. It’s not selfish to take time away from your family to nourish your soul. It’s proper self care to do the things that you love. It’s modeling healthy behavior for others. It’s strong self-leadership in the face of a culture that asks us to blindly follow traditions and rules. It’s an act of healthy rebellion to take the time to do what brings you joy.
Do what you want.
It’s an act of agency and an assertion of personal power to choose to do what makes you happy. Rather than pushing down what lights you up, behaving in ways that others feel is appropriate for you, be bold. Take a risk. Do what you want. Dance, make art, bake bread, plant a garden, paint something… Whatever it is that your heart desires, do it.
You, your passion, your light, your gifts… YOU CANNOT BE CONTAINED. You weren’t meant to live a conventional life. You were meant to live a free, joyful, thriving life. You were meant to live the life YOU desire. When you do the things that light you up, you align with Life itself. What is more beautiful than that?
End your suffering.
It’s been my experience that shrinking, shutting down, hiding, or otherwise not expressing what’s within my heart and soul is what causes great suffering. If you really want to end suffering, to be happy and free, there is only one path to do it:
Connect with your Inner Wisdom, your Soul.
Listen deeply.
Act on what you hear.
While that is simple, we know it’s not easy—else everyone would do it. But you’ve never been one who took the easy way out, have you?