Living off the page, the cushion, or the mat—or wherever it is that you nurture your truest self

I have grappled with the question “How do I live life to the fullest?” You know, really make everyday count. I have read the self help books. I have meditated to find the answer. I have prayed about it, written in my journal about it, made lists of how to accomplish the answer(s) to this question, and on and on. What I have come to realize though, is that the answer cannot be found. The only way to really answer this question is to be the answer as many times as you can, everyday.

Part of that means bringing the best parts of you found in your meditation, journal revelations, readings, or on your yoga mat in to your everyday relationships and interactions with people and situations. Get off the pages of books and journals, get off the yoga mat or meditation cushion! Put the goodness found there into your world. Easier said than done, right? The rational mind will pick this idea apart quickly. “I can’t bring peace and compassion in to my workplace, I’ll get rolled over by my co-workers, clients, boss, etc.” “I can’t bring the vulnerable parts of myself to my relationship with my partner, spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, etc., I might get hurt.” And on and on goes the mind. So, instead of infusing our lives and relationships with peace, compassion, and passion for what it is our hearts truly desire we suppress this urge or relegate it to our journals, meditation, or prayers. Many of us live out this dichotomy. We show one face to the world that is very different from the desires and feelings we harbor and cultivate in our personal development.

A choice is involved. It isn’t easy and it is risky. Either you chose to live richly and fully, showing up as often as you can as your best self, or you live the dichotomy, or worse yet you aren’t even conscious that such a disconnect exists in your life. And of course, if you don’t choose how you show up in your life you have still made a choice by default. Ok, yeah maybe this isn’t as black and white as I am making it seem. And I am certainly no expert. I am only beginning to bring my truest feelings and desires into my everyday existence. So far what I have come up with is that to answer the question “How do I live my life to the fullest?” I have to show up and be the answer to that question instead of waiting for the answer to fall into my life. For me that means moving myself off the page and out of my head. This blog is a start. Although it still involves a page (I just can’t seem to get away from them!) this is me reaching out to others, putting my truest self out there in a way that I never have before. Maybe it is a way of seeking support too. It seems that surrounding yourself with supportive people who keep you accountable for showing up as your best self is key. So today I will be the answer to the question as many times as I can. I hope you will be too.