Here are some examples of what I mean:
§1. Choose the pain of growth or the pain of staying stuck? Both of these lead to the very limiting conclusion that there is only pain in life, and that the only agency you have is in choosing the type of pain you prefer. That seems very grim to me, and also the type of idea that people would use to justify their pain instead of simply doing something about it. In my experience there is a lot of pain that is simply caused from living unconsciously, tension which for instance can be released by noticing it and which is only maintained because people don't pay attention to their body. You can literally get as much done, but in a softer and more pleasant manner.
§2. There are so many problems in society which could instead be framed as the need for something better: the need for new narratives, the need for more embodiment, the desire for connection, etc. Instead of focusing on the crisis, you can focus on the need that is expressed. You could say there is a motivational crisis in the world, because people don't want to work at soulless jobs that our system depends on, but you could also frame it as the call for adventure, or the longing for meaningful work, connected to a community that cares about you.
§3. Every incident in your life can be seen as a sign from Life with an upper case 'L' that you're not paying attention to something. Health problem? Maybe you haven't been paying attention to your posture, your diet, your sleep schedule, or your emotional problems. Relationship problem? Maybe you've been avoiding difficult conversations, taking your partner for granted or blowing insignificant disagreements way out of proportions. Plan not working out as intended? Maybe that's a good thing, maybe the plan was stupid in the first place and you will benefit a lot more from switching plans. Or maybe you are doing the right thing but not in the right way: too impatient, not enough time to do things properly, unrealistic expectations, not enough practice, etc.
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2024-08-05