via Inc.com by Susan Streinbrecher
“Seeking happiness outside ourselves is like waiting for sunshine in a cave facing north.” This Tibetan saying is wisdom of the ages, essentially affirming that true happiness must come from within. And in order to find that sense of peace within yourself, you must try your best to live in the moment, every moment of the day.
Mastering the art of living in the moment takes practice and patience. Over a lifetime, you accumulate memories and experiences that can either propel you forward with joyful expectation or they can hold you back, preventing you from achieving genuine happiness. Having awareness of the fact that most of your thoughts are held captive in the past — or anxiously awaiting the future — is the first step to freedom.
Clearing away the illusions that cloud your ability to see what is real is the first step. It is not uncommon to think the answer to your problems lies outside of yourself. You imagine that, “If only (he or she) would do that for me…or give me what I need…” you would be happy.
The reality is that your expectations of others are a recipe for disappointment. The more you expect someone to do something — the more you inevitably set yourself up for frustration. In other words, the expectation was only your own and had nothing to do with the other person’s wishes or intent.
Once you master clearing away some of your illusions, cultivate more mindful awareness in your relationship with yourself and others by trying the following:
1. Meditate
Get into the habit of putting five to 10 minutes aside each day to meditate. If an early morning practice is not practical, make time during the day. Try this five minute mindful meditation, or do a walking meditation outside during a break or at lunch. Make that appointment with yourself and don’t miss it. Before you know it, you’ll start to see the payoffs in terms of greater mental clarity, reduced stress, and an enhanced feeling of centeredness that can carry you through a hectic work day…
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