I recently met a gentleman who was an educator with many different vocations, inspiring all those that he came across. Although considered very unconventional and eccentric, he had the ability to inspire young adults by honoring each and every one of them to trust their unique abilities. His ability to be so clear and certain of his purpose to empower individuals to feel safe to express who they were, created a legacy not only for the lives he touched, but all those fortunate individuals who took his ideas and concepts, applied it to their lives and inspired others they came into contact with.
I am still amazed at how many lives this person touched and how his calling to empower people to learn to trust their inner selves and follow their own inner guidance, versus relying on someone else to guide them, is truly remarkable. Meeting him and hearing people share their experiences and heart-felt gratitude for how he impacted their lives has left an impressionable mark that inspires me further to keep empowering people via the mind-body connection.
One’s purpose and path may appear to be this amorphous construct, but when you are able to dial in and feel that unshakable inner resolve, is when I feel your purpose presents itself. By trusting your intuition, versus going by gut instinct, helps you to stay on track in establishing your truth. The term “wabi-sabi” was conveyed by one of the sharing participants, which I took to heart. “Wabi-sabi” is a Japanese concept, aesthetic, and a worldview; simply put, it is an intuitive way of living. It emphasizes finding beauty in imperfection, and accepting the natural cycle of growth and decay.
I am a perfectionist, but through the years have learned the importance of this concept of accepting the beauty and perfection in the imperfect. I have learned to accept this viewpoint, because it helped diffuse the previous frustrations and judgments I had of others or on situations that didn’t result perfectly. I also have recognized that when everything appears to be perfect, then another challenge inevitably will present itself for me to get back to a state of balance and perfection.
Nature is wild and unpredictable, chaotic and not perfect in symmetry, but when immersed in nature, it’s hard not to appreciate the perfection and her design. Allow yourself to look for your imperfections and learn to appreciate them. Your perceived faults and shortcomings open you up to a whole new world of experiences and provide you a worthwhile endeavor to address and overcome.
Your body is perfect in design and creation. Your body is the perfect pharmaceutical company that creates happy hormones, sleep hormones, energy boosting substances, and relaxing substances, just to name a few. By appreciating all your perceived body imperfections allow you to accept you for who you are. Accepting who you are, the light and dark sides of your nature, brings balance and ease into your be-ing.
I have learned that the three essential qualities you need to bring ease into your body and life is self-love, self-appreciation, and gratitude. When you truly love and accept yourself for who you are, you no longer compare yourself to others. Gratitude for your perceived imperfections and the challenges in your life help further sustain ease and balance in your life. Awareness of your body’s signals to perceived stressors and changes will enhance your ability to make the necessary shifts as needed to be more at ease.
