I saw this on Instagram last week and keep coming back to it. I really love pretty much everything Rupi Kaur writes, but truly this one has stuck with me. So much so that I really wanted to share it here.
I’ve had many thoughts around this once we went into quarantine back in March. I’m definitely a homebody by nature and prefer to be myself a lot in general, but other than the external anxiety of what was going on in the world, staying in wasn’t that bad (again this is personal). That said, the experience did highlight just how much more comfortable I am with who I am… and it’s a big relief.
A giant part of this has been my meditation practice, which only continues to improve pretty much every aspect of my life. (I’m hard-pressed to find anything in my life that isn’t positively impacted by meditation.)
And meditation and mindfulness is all internal. I have definitely sought and craved various things externally to try to improve what was going on internally (praise from teachers, “success” metrics in my career, attention from friends, love from boys) and even when I had those things, I still felt so unsatisfied. Then I’d want more praise, more success, more attention, more love. The cycle continued until I realized I needed to work from the inside out.
(I also have to say that meditation isn’t really something you do– it’s something you practice. There are hiccups and shortcomings, but it doesn’t mean you’re failing. In fact by practicing you are always moving along the path in the right direction… and dealing with a hiccup or two ultimately propels you a little more forward.)
Maybe you read this poem and have a different takeaway, but this was mine ♥️
I love this and I completely agree with you. I recently started yoga teacher training (for myself – not really to teach LOL) and meditation is a big part of the training. I have only seen good come from it thus far and I may be addicted.
I absolutely love everything that Rupi writes too. One of my favorite poems from her which I repeat to myself over and over throughout the years (especially during quarantine) is “never feel guilty for starting again.”
Absolutely love this quote!!! Makes me do a lot of reflection, these past few months have been hard but I have really learned a lot about myslef!
http://www.elspethadaybyday.com
Carly, you are wise. I think that’s why I keep coming back to your blog. Compassion.
I love this quote! I have never been one to meditate, but am hoping to start practicing it.
http://alexagmarsh.blogspot.com/
Thank you sharing, Carly. For most of us, “being” ourselves is a work in progress. It’s embedded in the choices we make everyday. Perhaps, social media may make the challenge even more daunting-overwhelmed by input and distractions of what the rest of the world is doing; diverting our focus from what it is that we as individuals want to accomplish and what kind of life we want to create for ourselves. “Know your happiness” is a quote I often remind myself of. And I limit my time on social media :). Spend time with myself instead to hear my own voice and follow through. As always, thank you for sharing.
Meditation and mindfulness is all internal.
https://airgunmaniac.com/benjamin-397-review/