The other day, I was sitting by the water with a friend, listening to music and enjoying the sight of seals floating by close to the shore. Have you ever noticed how seals seem to live so effortlessly? I've heard that seals have sensitive ears (yes, they actually have ears!) and wondered if they were curious about our music. Seals, often referred to as "dogs of the sea," are usually easy-going and good-natured.
Seals are a great example of not sweating the small stuff. They hunt for food at night, and their thick blubber layer stores energy, allowing them to go for extended periods without eating. Despite their density, they float through the water with absolute ease and always look like they’re having fun. They can be out of the water for up to 12 hours at a time but only sleep an average of 2 hours per day. They hang out on rocks, reefs, and beaches to regulate their body temperature, molt, interact with other seals, and nurse their pups. What strikes me most about seals is how unconcerned they are with “image-management.” They float and flop around with no care whatsoever about their body size or shape and couldn’t care less what anyone thinks of them. They seem to live a life of ease for the most part. This got me thinking about my own life. Since I’ve come to understand that we all live in our own thought-created reality and that our feelings are generated from our thoughts, life has gotten a whole lot simpler. The ease of this has been wonderful yet somewhat unsettling. I spent so much of my life unknowingly addicted to struggle. I didn’t know any other way. I had just accepted that this is how life is. Now that I know there is another way to experience life and that I have a lot more choices than I thought, my life feels a lot less difficult and dramatic. The way people act feels a lot less personal. Life is still challenging in some ways, but overall, it’s so much easier. Part of me is incredibly grateful and relieved about this, but another part objects to all of this ease. Part of me just doesn’t trust that things can be this easy. Living in the flow of life more and more feels like floating in the water, as opposed to climbing a mountain, so this has been a huge adjustment. It’s mind-boggling to see how much I was overcomplicating everything and the extra heaviness I was adding to my load. I notice myself still being attracted to stressful situations from time to time out of habit, but with more awareness am able to reset my nervous system much quicker. It makes sense that the more time I spend living in the flow, the more comfortable it will feel, and the less I will find myself flopping around out of the water and unnecessarily gravitating back into high-stress situations. Just like those carefree seals, I’m learning to let go, trust the process, and let it be easy. Thank you for joining me on this journey of discovery and ease. Sometimes the hardest part is letting go of the struggle and allowing life to be as easy as it can be. Take a page from the seals’ book: float, relax, and enjoy the flow. Comments are closed.
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AuthorJoan Strimple, Archives
June 2024
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