It's Not Personal

There is no escape from changing conditions.That is the good news and the bad news.  No matter what is happening right now in your life, no matter what you are feeling right now, happy or sad, it will change.Knowing this is of huge comfort in times of unhappiness; that this current state is not permanent.It is equally important to remember in times of great joy lest we take them for granted.This cycle will never stop.  No matter how much you grow, no matter how much extraordinary coaching and mentoring you receive there is no permanent happiness.What can change in you is your relationship to this never-ending cycle.  When we resist what is happening right now, we experience suffering.  When we allow the cycle to be what it is, we can experience a peacefulness even when things are not going our way.Every part of our lives is in this cycle, our inner relationship with self, our success, primary relationship, children, business, etc.  You can see the same cycle in the course of the day, in the different qualities of different times of day, you can see it in the seasons, you can see it in the cycle of life and death, you can even see it in a meal or a moment, these cycles are happening all around us.If we no longer see everything in cycles, we can become over-identified with where the cycle is at the moment and get caught into thinking a particular cycle is a new reality, which will last forever, good or bad. However, when we become aware of the cycles happening and allow them, we understand that there is no permanence and something new will arise soon.Another trap we can fall into is that we can think that what is happening right now is personal, life is against me personally.These cycles are not personal!  They are just an aspect of life, the more we notice and allow them the less suffering we experience.This cycling happens all the time in business…good news, bad news…successes, failures. You can see how ideas get formulated in simple experiences like the line in a busy parking lot or at a coffee house: you come in, and there are 12 people ahead of you and you end up with no one behind you. Life is made up of these mysterious cycles.  The more we notice and accept them the more we can benefit from them. Again, if we resist them, we create suffering and struggle. If we learn about them, we can meet them and benefit from them.What cycles do you see in your life?  How do you resist them and create suffering?  In what way do you take these cycles personally?The next time you don’t like what is happening in your life right now do two things:1.    Give yourself the benefit of the doubt and refuse to take it personally.2.    Recognize that the current situation is not permanent and will change; all that is required is a little patience.