Look For The Good
“We are in unprecedented times.”
Damn, I am sick of that phrase. It is being used so much however it is true. As a culture, we have not experienced anything like this in over 100 years. I have been thinking about how blessed we are to be able to have technology available to us. The digital media that is helping us stay connected and the medical advancements to keep us as healthy as possible.
In some of my discussions at work, we have discussed how this is bringing out the best and the worst in people. I am being called to see the best in all people. There have been gentle reminders in things friends have said, social media posts, and most recently in music. Jason Mraz is an artist that I listen to whenever I need a good mood “reset.” He just released a new song called “Look For The Good.” Some of the lyrics include:
“Look for the good in everything.
Look for the people who will set your soul free.
It always seems impossible until it’s done.
Look for the good in everything.”
If that isn’t the universe nudging, I don’t know what is.
In listening to this nudge, I have been doing some spiritual reading on how do look for the good in others. As a statement, it seems relatively easy but in practice….. that’s a whole other situation.
There are two key life lessons by Sri Sri Ravishankar that have resonated with me:
Accept people and situations as they are.
Don’t see intention behind other’s actions or mistakes.
Accepting others begins with the understanding that acceptance is not “earned” or “deserved'“ for someone else. When we do not accept another person, it is like drinking poison ourselves and hoping that it hurts them. As we shift to a state of acceptance, we do not negatively impact our own state of mind. When we accept, we have peace of mind.
Once we have this peace, a natural sense of kindness washes over us which helps release stress naturally. Heightened by stress, we begin to build a story in our mind about others through our perceptions. But once one accepts another person, one can release this “storytelling” and shift their action to be effective.
Over the next few days, begin to practice the skill of acceptance and see if your inclination for perception decreases. Lean into your breath when you are challenged by this.
Be well.