The great conundrum
of my life seems to be the art of letting go.
It’s been at the frontline of the battles waging within me; something
for which I have struggled with for time immemorial. I believe I was born for the struggle,
destined to fight, and instinctively I see the downtrodden as the true warriors
in this life, for it is at the limits of what we believe we can take that we
discover the extra spirit within us to keep on going. The battles that we wage within ourselves are
no different. When we feel we have lost
ourselves, when we feel surrounded by darkness, the simple, primordial desire
to fight, to stand, to hang on is often the only weapon that will see you
through. Stick-to-itiveness is at the
essence of any great triumph or breakthrough.
The desire to breakthrough to the other side is quite simply the most
beautiful act of poetry that I know. To
be lost, and thrown aside with selfish abandon, and yet to push through,
discover, create, and find your way back to a beautiful place is the most noble
of battles any man or woman could fight.
The simplicity is not only heroic, but resplendent and joyous. When your soul is stripped to the core and
you have no tools but sure grit…this is where you discover the warrior within
yourself.
I find my biggest
inspirations in overcoming insurmountable obstacles, doubt (self or otherwise)
creeps into the spaces between our dreams and if left unchecked can slowly eat
away at our passions, devouring the fire within. When we allow the light within to diminish,
to fade, to burn out, we are no more than an empty shell, a passionless human
being on auto pilot. Furthermore, when
we do not follow our instinct, the results can be just as devastating. Staying the course through thick and thin,
fire and brimstone, hell and high water; this is the true essence of what it is
to feed our soul with the life force that enables us to grow. Through relentless persistence we can broaden
our possibilities, and grow infinitely into the life we are meant to lead. Whether it’s a matter of rediscovery, finding
your way (or yourself) when you feel lost, achieving a goal, or pushing through
a fear, if you simply hang on for that one moment longer, you can crest the
summit of your fear and feel the momentum begin to pick up as you glide into
the next cycle of your journey.
In my life, along
the path(s) I have chosen, there have been more obstacles than I often wish to
share. Many of these could have been
avoided, were maybe even self imposed, and yet I would not be where I am today
without each of these great teachers/moments.
I find that the defining moment in any relationship, struggle, climb,
fight, or life changing event, is that single moment when you hang on, push
through, struggle forth, through that one grain of doubt so prominent in your
brain. When your soul and heart take
over to help you defy logic and get through to the other side. On the other side of the spectrum is the ability
to know which battles to stay and push through, and which require the ability
to summon the strength to simply walk away.
The paradox within one whos nature is of a pugilistic foundation is the
opposing strength that allows you to walk from a situation. It’s a constant conundrum pulsating just
below the surface of our being. Both
abilities are equal in their strength and yet at polar opposite ends of the
spectrum, and yet you cannot push through to the pinnacle of your goals without
the ability to know when to walk away, to tap, in order to save the energy
within and allow that energy to be in reserve for the higher purpose.
Allowing yourself
the gift of moving with the struggle, with the energies, and listening closely
to your intuition, these are the qualities of a champion. To embrace the struggle and to be true to
your instincts are fundamentally critical to reaching your goals. Shying away from conflict (running) will only
beget the same results if it becomes a pattern, and yet you will only exhaust
yourself if you push through any conflict that you face. Sometimes the true strength lies in that
ability to remove yourself from the situation.
Allowing yourself to walk away allows you the space to learn and grow
from the experience and take that new knowledge forward into the next
struggle. That being said, the ability
to dig deep and push through when you are certain it is what is right and
persevere through the adversity…this is a beautiful gift that should be used
intelligently, logically, and with grace.
All of life is a struggle to simply be who and what we are, to live our
truth and to excel at the most incredible gifts we posses. Kindness in the struggle is not optional but
necessary. Kindness to self, others, the
process, and most of all kindness and compassion to those who are fighting
their own battles. Compassion, above all
else, is the essence of the warrior.
Live your life prepared to push through (in whichever direction is necessary),
prepared for the struggle, and always resilient in the desire to perfect your
life. Embrace the quality of
stick-to-itiveness. Live a life of love
and fall in love with the journey of life.
Fall for the mercurial moments when we feel lost..see them as a chance
to rediscover and embrace the grind. Be
not afraid to fail or to walk away because in surrendering we are not
defeated..we merely fail forward. Learn
from the past, get back up, and push through to where your dreams take you. Do not fear the unknown for it is in that
space, facing the fear, that you can change the direction of your life and
accomplish your dreams. This is the
place where we chisel our future from the hardness of our trials. This is where we “find ourselves”. Honor yourself and honor those around
you. Proceed into the unknown with the
resolve and confidence that you have the ability to not only wage ware on the
obstacles before you..but to struggle through to whichever side you need to be
on. Whether your fight is metaphorical,
or literal, the ability to dig deep and push through will always see you
through. Finally, choose your battles
carefully for not everything has to be a struggle, choose your words wisely for
nothing cuts deeper, and when you choose a direction..make a choice..decide
where the battle lies…go for it with all you’ve got.
