Do we live as per our expectations or we struggle to do so because we have to deliver on so many fronts and that too in a way which is expected by others. We need to fair in a particular fashion as a mother, as a teacher, as a coach as a business partner. We become the victims of the so called protocols and accepted norms. The irony is that these so called norms are not fool proof and there is no guarantee that it is the best norm. Many times we discover that an organization needed to change its culture in order to retain its people from leaving it. This may be seen as an example of “failed norm” which was imposed by the organization but since it was impacting the survival of organization, it had to be changed. Same thing happens in our lives where we are victims of such norms but we don’t have the courage to resist it. Examples may be a demanding boss, over social relatives who expect you to visit them every week, dominating spouse, irritating neighbours or a work place which wants you to behave in a fashion which is not ok with you.
Such factors don’t allow you to be yourself. You are always someone else pretending to be a fit in those circumstances. The breathing space is gone and you feel suffocated. What can be done, is the question floating in your mind and you generally say these words” I wish I had a better office, or better boss etc. But the best thing is that you can still be yourself just like that guy in your office who is always the way he wants to be. A relative who is social but in his own ways or the neighbor who may be less social but is happy or the friend who lives by his own terms and conditions and is happy. We always have such people around us who are themselves, so what is it that differentiates them from us and we keep wondering when things will be fine and when can we be ourselves.
The time is now, decide and give yourself that extra space and you don’t need to the best liked person everywhere trying your best to keep everybody happy and yet you remain unhappy because those people and institutions never become happy by your actions. So, take a step and decide how much you can do for others happiness and how much you need to do for yourself in order to be happy and content.
Those who meditate are able to understand this thing very well because when you sit quietly and try to quiet your mind, you realize that there is more to your life than your office, family, relatives and friends. There is a need to give time to yourself and the happiness which you derive from outer sources is only temporary in nature and will not last very long as it has lot of expectations attached where as the real source of happiness lies inside, for that you need not make others happy, all you need to do is give some time to yourself and connect yourself to the source which gives you life.
Have a happy home coming…..
