The surface problems that bring stress and anxiety to our day are not what make life challenging; our unwillingness to truly cleanse our soul is what causes that. When we find the courage to address the core issue(s) that negatively influence our mind, body, and spirit, those surface problems that we think are causing our unhappiness will suddenly look a whole lot different.
We may encounter a few problems over our lifetime that are unsolvable; all the others can be solved if we dare to take them on. This is not to say solutions will come easy or quick; it is to say that our poor relationships, career failures, anger issues, drug and alcohol use, etc… are solvable if we allow acceptance, willingness, and forgiveness to rule our heart and mind.
Most of us like trying to manufacture solutions to our problems. That is, we try ignoring, looking for shortcuts, blaming, or applying band-aids to the challenges we face. While this approach may temporarily solve the issue at hand, it will never solve the underlying sickness that infects our being. To find sustainable success and satisfaction (please define success and satisfaction however you like) requires more than a temporary fix; it demands a cleansing of the soul.
Satisfaction with life comes from an honest assessment that identifies why we choose to run from problems rather than towards them. It is a process that can be as painful as it is liberating and typically cannot be done alone. There is a reason why we fail to live life by the principles housed in our soul. There is a reason we let rationalization and outside influences guide decisions that we know will lead to unwanted outcomes. Until we find and address this reason, we invite suffering to be a part of our lives.
It is easy to blame our surface problems or past behaviors/circumstances for our failures. A lack of money, our parents, meaningless relationships, societal inequities, laziness, insecurity, addiction, and more fall into this category. However, identifying the reason we enable these feelings to continue to rule our lives is the obstacle we must overcome. Until we have the courage to do the work necessary to find this reason, our lives will be no better tomorrow than they are today.
Life is meant to be lived with a contagious freedom that delivers peace and satisfaction. On our journey, we know life will bring challenges; we also know that if we work with therapists, mentors, and other insightful people, we gain a greater understanding of our behaviors. If we have the courage to apply this knowledge learned, a life we love becomes possible.