As the school year begins and life's usually hectic pace picks up again, we have to hold on to ourselves before we get swept up in the whirlwind. Sure, it is good to be productive, to be involved, but we have to remember to be present in the moment as our To-Do lists keep getting longer. That old "friend" stress comes along with no invitation, and before we know it, we are consumed within ourselves. Our minds are constantly running. What do I have to do next? Where do I have to be? I have to get from point A to point B, and I hope no one distracts me. Our worlds easily become about ourselves. From piles of homework, sports practice, choir rehearsal, or whatever else it may be, we have a lot going on. But it doesn't have to be this way. It doesn't have to be all about ourselves. We are ultimately in control. We can choose to step out of ourselves and to be present to our surroundings and to others.
It can be very easy to focus on our own problems, to think in detail about the latest things that are giving us anxiety and pulling us down. It is easy to pity ourselves. But in doing so, we become lost, trapped inside ourselves. Our views become distorted. We lose sight of the bigger problems that other people may face, and our problems are all we see, and even care about. Sometimes we have to take a reality check. Is this problem, stress, or anxiety really worth all this energy that I'm putting into it? Maybe someone else is going through a lot more and needs us even more than we need ourselves. We don't have much to give others when we use all our energy for ourselves. This is not to say that we should never think about our problems, address them, be tender with ourselves, or seek help. We have to care for ourselves in order to care for others. Sometimes, though, we can make things a bigger deal than they really need to be. When possible, we should strive not to dwell on our internal battles, but rather, to open ourselves up to all the good in our lives and within ourselves that is waiting to be recognized! Free yourself from yourself, and in doing so, free others.
It is tempting to get in the mindset of productivity, to want to go from one thing to the next on your own set schedule without interruption. Sometimes it is a struggle to even stop to talk to someone and ask them how they are doing or how their day was. We choose to pretend we have blinders on so we don't have to "waste time" talking when we can be productive. Yet in allowing ourselves to be closed-minded, we miss so many opportunities to be there for people when they really need us. Show someone that you care about them. What matters more is the human heart that yearns for a sign of compassion, not the "pressing" task that will soon be replaced with another tomorrow. At the end of the day, you will feel better knowing that you helped at least one person by being there for them than simply going about your own business.
Open up your eyes to the blessings in your life that are waiting to be seen. Take in the beauty of creation, the sounds of the sweetly chirping birds, and literally smell that flower! Appreciate every moment for all it's worth. Do not let your heart sink with every trouble that comes your way because, I regretfully say, they will keep coming. Instead, learn to see the beauties that are being obscured by them. Remember that there is always something to be grateful for, and there is always someone who needs you more than you need yourself.
At the end of the day, is it worth it to simply be relieved that you have checked off everything on your list just to wake up to another endless list of things you have to do? No. Life means more than that. The meaning of our lives lies outside of ourselves. We encounter it in relationship with other people. No matter how much we accomplish in one day, we will not be satisfied if we have only lived for ourselves.
