LESS EGO / MORE SOUL

I just wanted to quickly share a little realization I had yesterday…

So I’m in this Italian cafe, looking forward to having a nice cappuccino & a sweet biscuit to accompany. But which biscuit do I choose? Ah, the conflict of decisions, we are all faced with having to make choices! Sometimes the prospect of making the wrong choice can be immobilizing – however big or small the potential consequence of that decision may be.

My initial preference was a jam drop shortbread cookie…but then I settled on the chocolate biscotti…only to spend the whole cafe experience wishing I had gone with the jam drop cookie. By the time all was gone I found myself feeling frustrated and unsatisfied.

Frustrated that I hadn’t enjoyed the treat mindfully.

Unsatisfied because I felt that I would have enjoyed the jam drop more.

So in feeling this discontentment I took a moment to explore the situation a little more…

“How can I avoid this sensation in the future?”

I’ve been here before. A small example, but relevant nonetheless…

Last time I came to the conclusion that I should always just go with my initial preference. Yet obviously I ignored that advice – as here I am. So what more is there to learn?

I thought about the people who inspire to be a better person. Particularly this ‘loony’ yogi character I met in the park the other day. What would he do?

The answer came quickly – Accept his choice and enjoy whatever he has for what it is – enough.

In life, the ideal isn’t to always make the right choice (mistakes create contrast which in turn provide experience). However, our life becomes more satisfying when we can learn to accept and enjoy whatever choice we do make. The key is to stop weighing up the options and comparing once the decision has been made – just enjoy the chosen possibility for what it is.

I wanted to share this because I am proud – not so much of the answer itself – but of the thought process behind it. I considered what I had already learned in the past from similar situations – and built on it. That’s progress.

It reminded me that when you find yourself in the same state over again there is always more to learn. Too often do I just settle for things as being a result of a mistake, rather than not having learned enough from the previous experience.