Tiny Buddha book discussion: Day 7

"We've all worked toward goals, pondered the implications of our actions, obsessed over other people's opinions, and wished with every fiber of our being we could control them. We've also sat firmly rooted in a space, fully aware that we can let go of everything that keeps us from being where we are. It might seem like we don't have a choice when we consider everything we want to accomplish, how we want to be perceived, and how productive it seems to think about all that in overlapping thoughts in our heads. But in the end, we always have a choice in what we do right now, both with our minds and with our bodies. At any time, we can decide to be fully where we are. The only way to explore what's possible is to first be willing to be."  




This was the last paragraph in the next to the last chapter and it pretty much sums up one of the main ideas of the book: Accepting what is and being fully present.

It can be difficult to simply be where we are, fully aware of what's going on right now and what we're feeling and experiencing right now when there are so many other things to think about. Staying present is a daily challenge for a lot of people because it is so much easier to worry about the future or dwell on the past. To think about everything we have to accomplish or how we want other people to perceive us. To think about the time we took for granted or the people who let us down when we wish they hadn't.

The past is gone. It will forever be in the past and it needs to stay in the past. And worrying about the future is a waste of energy because we can never know how the future is going to turn out, regardless of how much we plan for it, think about it, or worry about it.

So just breathe. Look around and appreciate this moment for everything that it is. Let go of what you cannot control. Let go of what you cannot predict. Let go of what other people think. Let go of unnecessary burdens. Because this very moment is all there is and it will soon be gone too.


So this pretty much wraps up my Tiny Buddha book discussions! I hope you loved reading them as much as I loved writing them. It was very therapeutic to read these excerpts and look deep enough within myself to pull out just the right thoughts and feelings to match what the excerpts were saying.

To learn more about the book and find out how you can order it, be sure to check out this website: http://www.tinybuddhabook.com/

Happy Sunday!

<3 Madison