Shine On

When I was 4 I lived from my inner light without effort: pure expression, little fear, much fun. When I was 11 I lived from that light too, with a lot of laughter, but with a little more self-criticism and self-consciousness (as well as a little more selfishness). When I was 17 I seemed to occasionally lose the key to unlocking that light much of the time. By the time I was 23, I thought that light was supposed to be locked up, that that's just a part of growing up.

As a young adult I was self-conscious, worried, anxious, and stressed. I did well in school but that wasn't enough. I had a supportive and happy family, but that wasn't enough. I made decent money, but that wasn't enough. Everyone else my age seemed to know how to live their lives and be happy, but I was indecisive and lacked confidence. I felt different in a sad way, and I began identifying as a despondent and pensive loner.

I searched in books, gurus, churches, and meditation. And I just couldn't figure it out.

The trick is that there is nothing to figure out. That truth, ease, insight, and joy have always been and will always be within. I guess I just learned to uncage it all. And the way to do that: trust and let go.

I've learned to not only unleash my inner light, but to let it suffuse my body, mind, and actions. You see, this inner light isn't mine, just as your inner light isn't yours. It's there and shining whether we ask it to or not and whether we want it to or not.

This light is the authentic expression of our true self, and all we ever need to do is shift out of its way and let that light shine on.

We try and we try and we try to figure it all out, moving from one problem to the next, one emotion to the next, one hustle to the next. We get overwhelmed and stressed trying to make everything perfect, and we really think that that's just the way life is. It's as if there's an expected momentum to life and if we slow down at all, life might pass us by or we'll lose the game somehow.

But there's nothing to figure out and resolve, and there never was. This is it, and it's beautiful and perfect. It always has been, it always will be.

Living from our inner light is the access to a life of well-being - and all we ever really want is to feel fully alive and to experience well-being.

So many of us, however, feel deeply that we're not worthy of a life of well-being and the experience of being fully alive. If this is true for you, then remember this: the well-being of others begins with our own well-being.

...just as the well-being of our students begins with the well-being of our teachers and parents.

Thanks so much for reading. Shine on. ❤️

This Little Light of Ours

What if…..............

There really is a light within each of us.

This light is our true self and is always seeking an authentic, clear, and open expression.

This light isn’t ours to control or manipulate and this light isn’t ours to direct or force.

All we have to do is put our stories, interpretations, narratives, judgments, regret, and expectations aside, step into this present moment, and allow the light to shine.

All there ever is to do is show up, follow the impulses of this inner light, and engage with what’s in front of us.

Overwhelm, worry, stress, and ineffectiveness are the result of applying our intellect to people and situations that would be better met with compassion, curiosity, and presence of mind.

Each of us adults could be a model of the power and possibility of adulthood for our kids, students, neighbors, and each other.

When we “get out of the way” and allow our authentic, inner light to shine in its truest expression, we are living life fully to the best of our abilities.

Teachers awakening to the clearest and fullest expression of their inner light is one of the key ingredients missing in many of our classrooms.

We could put our worries, budgets, politics, concerns, and fears aside to engage fully in the moment with our inner light guiding our way.

It’s not magic, though it’s magical. It’s not esoteric, though it’s uncommon. It’s not mystical, though it’s deeply spiritual.

All there ever is to do is relax into this moment, trust that we're cradled by a deep and pure intelligence and wisdom, put aside our thinking, and pay full attention to what’s really right in front of us.

Getting profoundly present allows that little spark of ours to light up the universe.

Thanks so much for reading. ❤️

The Wisest Thing We Can Do

"If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you must look forward, do so prayerfully. However, the wisest thing you can do is be present in the present. Gratefully."

- Maya Angelou

The enlightenment of Buddha and the Heaven of Jesus were never places to get to. They have always been a state of mind to realize, completely in this moment. And they’re not special states of mind. They’re actually the ordinary, everyday, everyone-has-access-to-it being present in the present.

What’s so profound about this natural state of awareness is that experiencing the raw, unadulterated experience of Right Now is the most insightful, influential, clear, and true experience available to us.

It’s where our true self lives.

There are points in my workshop and in between my coaching calls where I think to myself, “No one really needs this conversation. All we’re doing is getting present in the present.” And then I’m either coaching someone or getting coached, and I realize how easy it is for us to buy into our narratives and simply get distracted from what really matters: the experience of being alive, our family and friends, our passions and interests.

Being present in this moment - the only moment that we ever really experience - is both the goal and the access. It’s where the state of flow resides. It’s where we do our best work. It’s where enjoyment lives. It’s where life thrives.

See what happens when you bring your attention fully to the present moment. Allow the stories and judgments and worries and expectations to just be there, and bring your attention to your breath, your body, your environment, and the people around you.

You might just find yourself falling in love with life and the people in it all over again. After all, life is only ever happening right now, in the present.

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

- Ferris Bueller

Have a great weekend, and thanks so much for reading. ❤️