Oh dear one, we have been tricked. Fooled! Seen from a different angle — we have allowed ourselves to be misled. We have, mostly unknowingly, bought into the idea that our worth is dependent on our achievements; that if we strive and work hard, we’ll eventually reach the finish line, be happy and gain society’s approval. Problem? This destination always outdistances us! No matter how much we hustle and rush up the mountain, we may eventually reach the top, only to look into the distance and see another peak, and another peak, and an even higher peak! And so, we hit the road again, continuing to place our fulfilment on some precarious future outcome.
What is this outcome anyway? What is it that we are really looking for?
Personally, I have come to the realization that living for the future is futile. You might say, ‘That's arrogant! Look at all the problems we’re facing!’, or ‘What’s wrong with working towards a goal?’ To that, I have to say that living for the future may be creating the very behaviour that has led to our problems in the first place and that pushes our goals even further out of reach! See, there is absolutely nothing wrong with setting goals and working towards deadlines; it’s the excessive focus on reaching some future point while neglecting the now that is the problem. It causes us to completely dismiss the process, the journey, this very moment… which, to me, is sacred. Constantly working towards some marker of success without recognizing the inherent success at each step of the way is, therefore, not only like being caught on a never-ending treadmill… but it’s like climbing a mountain without enjoying the hike!
Rings a bell?
Everything about our world is geared towards ‘outcome’; more specifically, outcome that is tangible, visible and has a number. Our school system, our jobs, our relationships, our way of life — we are heavily conditioned to put the goal over the process, the what over the how, and the future over the now! The ultimate peak is never-ending economic growth, of course, and whoever is not on track with it or not putting it at the centre of one’s existence is seen as some weirdo. But you know what: I prefer to be that weirdo, and I hope you’re open to being that weirdo, too. Because quite frankly, it hurts me to see our creativity and life force so stifled, commodified and repressed. We are not linear beings; we are not made to fit into small little boxes and follow straight edges. For a little while, perhaps, okay (for contrast’s sake), but ultimately, we want to colour outside the lines and express from the heart. We want to enjoy, play, explore and immerse ourselves in creation. We want to follow our bliss and not make everything about productivity and strategy!
Technology is great. New emerging innovations? Extraordinary. But, if we’re not careful and hyper-aware, they will further reduce the human to an even smaller cog and our creative expression to nothing more than a means to an end. Like a machine. I propose this: Our joy is beyond all form and measure; it can’t be replaced. You say chat gpt could have written this article for me? I say, sure, it could have written some article. However, I chose not to let it because I en-joy writing. ‘Nothing real can be threatened’, I once read in A Course In Miracles (by Helen Schucman) — and I would like you to really let that sink in.
What happens if we flip the narrative? What if we actively chose to not let technology replace the experiences we love but rather enhance and counterpart them so that we can break new ground and forge new directions altogether?
If you are here, still reading this, then I need you to know: It’s okay to not know what your future will bring. It’s okay to feel weird and not fit in. It’s safe to pause and take a deeeeep breath. You don’t always have to figure everything out. It’s safe to play. Your deeper nature is unpredictable and defies all linearity; don’t be afraid to follow its whispers and impulses off the paved road and into the wilderness. Your joy, dear one, moves mountains. It exists outside space and time. It is a state of being that no one can ever take away from you — and if cherished, treasured and nurtured — inevitably grows wings, soars, disrupts and sets a much-needed new course amidst today’s excessive machine mentality of ‘smart’-everything. Don’t underestimate your joy. Actually, take it seriously while holding it lightly.
When was the last time you engaged in an act of creation just for fun or curiosity and without expectation?
Please don’t say you have ‘no time’. Your joy is everywhere. It doesn’t need to be quitting your 9-5 job, although it very well may be. It could be starting a small project on the side, writing articles online (like this one!), being present on your way to work, picking up a book you’ve had on the shelf for a while, painting, cooking something delicious, going for a walk without an agenda, listening to music from your childhood, walking barefoot in the forest, preparing a cuppa with utmost precision, having a bubble bath, calling a friend, watching the moon, embracing a moment alone, playing the piano, organizing your wardrobe, climbing a tree. Not being productive (for once!) and instead following your joy may seem harmless and inconsequential…but I would argue that it’s quite the opposite: Expressing your joy makes space for wonder, awe and grace, and opens you to the miracle of the unexpected…
Until very recently, I felt like I had never quite arrived. I was always looking for a ‘something’ in the future, thinking my life would be a little more whole ‘when my book is published’, ‘when this chapter is written’, ‘when my sleep is perfect’, ‘when my nails are long’, ‘when I have a car’, ‘when I have more money’, ‘when my work is more recognized’ — but something changed. Some leap happened. I don’t necessarily need those things anymore. They would be nice, but they’re no longer centre stage in my existence. I also stopped doing stuff I thought I needed to do, leading me to make adjustments to my book and website, which unlocked a crazy amount of newfound freedom and creative expression (see sketch above: my current inner world singing, dancing and not following rules). I had gems in my pocket all along; I just didn’t notice because I was too busy looking for them in the future.
I’d like to ask you: Do you cultivate and express your joy? If it seems to be lost, can you dig it up? Can you see the beauty of where you are right now? And where are you placing your fulfilment and happiness?
In a world of perpetual hustle and bustle, it’s easy to believe we need to always get somewhere. But maybe the journey is less about doing and more about who we are becoming… maybe what we're looking for is staring us straight in the face: We want to be ourselves. To express our deeper nature and, quite frankly, do nothing that lies outside of it.