Don’t let the pursuit of a better you and a better future take over what you have right here and right now.

A better life doesn’t mean a single thing if you’re not able to be present for it.

It’s the thing about all pursuits of betterment, isn’t it?

John Lennon beautifully quipped, “Life is what happens when we’re busy making other plans.”

This personal development malarky—a wonderful thing—but be careful not to suspend living until you have the life you think you want.

The ability to be satisfied with a life in progress is the thing to be built.

So often, people get where they think they want to be, but all that’s left after a momentary sense of “done it!” is emptiness, a feeling of “what next?” "Did it!” always quickly fades from view.

The thing about chasing more is that there’s always more to be chased.

More is fun; it certainly crystallises your attention, gives you meaning and a purpose to live for.

But bring in some present moment contentment too—

Then you’ll enjoy every single moment in your journey as well as the getting there.

You’ll realise the path is where the life is. You never want to rush your favourite song to the end, do you? When it’s your tune of the moment, you want it to last forever. Fancy having that kind of attitude toward your goals...

I do realise that it is a relief not to devote all that time and energy to one thing, that there is something so luxurious about resting after doing for so long, sleeping in, and not working and focusing so hard, but…

If you’re not able to enjoy the journey, maybe you’ve chosen the wrong destination?

The myopic focus on the final product, the finish, the end, means people hurry and rush headlong, forgetting to properly rest and recover so they can stay consistent. That kind of “I’ll recover when I’m dead” quickly bites you on the bottom.

And after all, what are you really looking for?

There’s the thing, the surface layer, the event, the launch, the completion, but there’s also what you hope to get from it. Skills and experience, yes, but the internal bit – I'd say – is also something about seeking transcendence — moving above, ascending to a different state of being.

You do find ‘It’ in extraordinary efforts, but I love what Alan Watts once wrote about this:

“The only Zen you find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there.”

Imagine learning to have that right here, right now, in the chopping wood and carrying water? Imagine a life saturated with that and not just those rare moments when/if the extraordinary bestows it upon you?

It IS right here, right now. The true question is, “Where are you?”

Awesome.

Go well!

Arjuna

PS.

As you might know, I love to practice and teach the techniques called Ascension for the very reasons above.

Come join us this weekend, July 4-6 (7 p.m. start). It'd be great to have you.