You suffer every time you believe a thought that argues with what is.
When your mind is perfectly clear, what is, is what you want.
If you want reality to be different than it is, you might as well try to teach a cat to bark.
You can try and try, and in the end the cat will look up at you and say, “Meow.”
Wanting reality to be different than it is - is hopeless.
And yet, if you pay attention, you’ll notice that you think thoughts like this dozens of times a day:
These thoughts are ways of wanting reality to be different than it is.
If you think that this sounds depressing, you’re right.
Much of the stress that you feel is caused by arguing with what is.
Reality is what is true. The truth is whatever is in front of you right now.
For example, whether you like it or not, it’s snowing now. “It shouldn’t be snowing” is just a thought.
In reality, there is no such thing as a “should” or a “shouldn’t”.
These are only judgements - thoughts - that we project onto reality.
Remove the judgements and you can see reality as it is, and this leaves you free to act with clarity and effectiveness.
In a previous article in this series I wrote about The Transformative Power Of Acceptance which is a mindfulness practice that I use and that is based around deep acceptance of how things are right NOW in this present moment.
This practice involves consciously exercising deep and intense acceptance of the feelings that are present in the moment – especially all resistance, negativity and fear about accepting what is present.
Through increased mindfulness practice, you will discover that you are almost continuously in varying degrees of resistance to something. I know and accept that I am.
Here is another approach to the same practice – but this time coming at it from a cognitive perspective.
Take one specific aspect of your current reality that you are resistant to.
Undertake a personal internal enquiry with the following 4 simple questions:
This process is known as “The Work” and was created by Byron Katie, and it is free.
Here are the full instructions.
This is a simple practice.
I use it, and in my experience it is powerful, and I commend it to you.
Further Reading On Acceptance:
The Transforming Power Of Acceptance
Next Article:
Return from: "Teach A Cat To Bark "
- What if everything we think…
LATEST ARTICLES
The Power Of Patience - Why You Need The World's Toughest Quality
Demonizing The Other and Personal Acts Of Compassion
Why You Should Embrace Anomalies - The Incredible Value Of Disconfirming Evidence
Amazing Grace - The Majesty And The Mercy of Freedom From Your Pain
The Transformative Power Of Acceptance
Inversion - The Power Of Opposite Thinking
Are You Aligned With Reality? Or Do You See What You Believe?
The Law Of Response and Outcome
Clear Thinking - Turning Ordinary Moments Into Extraordinary Results
Self Dialogue - Working With Your Many Selves
The Balanced Brain - The Ultimate Route To Personal Transformation
How To Make Better Decisions - By Avoiding The Narrative Trap
The Greatest Love - The Most Important Relationship You Will Ever Have
Everything Is Connected And Why You Don't Feel It
Who Is In Charge Of Your Brain?
How To Be A Winner On A Very Large Scale
The Metagame Approach To Life
- Being better by doing things d…Shantideva - The Way Of The Bodhisattva
Reframing History - Deconstruction And Discussion Not Destruction
Tao Te Ching - Connecting To Your True Source Of Power.
How Things Really Are - The Inbuilt Design Flaws
Intuition Or Anxiety - Are There Angels Or Devils Crawling Here?
What Is Truth - How To Tell A Partial Truth From The Whole Truth?
Duality And Life Beyond Your Thinking Mind
The Conscious Mind Is Limited - Be Aware And Be Prepared
Your Inner Map Of Reality - Here's Why You Think The Way You Do
The Failure Of Cancel Culture - Suppression Not Engagement
4 Big Reasons Why We Get Stuck In Our Attempts At Personal Change
How Do I Change And Why Is It So Hard?
The Illusion Of A Separate Self - Windows 11 With Self Awareness!