Inspired Action and Responsibility
Often times we become stuck in a fight between our inner and our outer circumstances. These outer circumstances are the external workings; the people, places, and things that are a part of our environment and impact our everyday life. These outer circumstances can have an intense control over the inner circumstances of our mood, thoughts, and reactions, without us even realizing.
Our inner circumstances are the way we respond or react to these external cues. For most of us this is automatic and not much thought is given. Most of us are driven in a type of autopilot existence without complete awareness of our external world’s impact on our being. We just live and react as situation’s arise; likely out of cycles, patterns, and habit’s learned from family and societal conditioning.
Even though our physical body and mind may be “just going through the motions” in each day, our emotional system is in a state of constant knowing. No matter how much we try to push through external circumstances with a numbed out facade to just make it through the day our internal system is a wise teacher, if we just listen.
Mindfulness can inspire action to gain a responsibility in co-creating the way we experience each moment. Most of the time, we are not able to control our outer circumstances. However, we know that we can choose to take action in the way we perceive and move through both internal and external circumstances.
Responsibility is taking the way we respond to particular external and internal systems to a greater level of consciousness as we are able to check automatic processes of our thoughts and emotional patterns. The ultimate goal is to reduce the suffering we experience by uncontrolled thoughts, feelings and emotions by gaining reflection, purpose, and inspired effort in each moment, mindfully.
Exercise
The way we respond to situations and emotions is normally habitual unless a mindfulness practice is developed. Begin to inspire change through simply listening to your breath. Find responsibility in each moment. Bring conscious awareness and understanding to the details in each thought, each emotion, and each feeling.
Create a breathing space that allows you to turn your attention inward.
Without the need to change anything, make note of each thought, emotion, and feeling.
Acknowledge each moments detail and begin to label each as a thought, a emotion, or a feeling.
Gently acknowledge with a greater understanding each labeled thought, emotion, or feeling.
Observe, understand, then let go.
As you continue to follow your breath, continually expand your attention.
Take each moment and hold the experience of that moment without judgement, and with nurturance and understanding.
Expand the awareness in each moment, focusing on your breath, begin to notice thoughts, feelings, or emotions that are more difficult to let go.
Ask yourself, How can I respond to this challenge with inspired action, mindfully?
