The Constant is You

I haven’t been consistent with my mediation practice for most of this year, but I returned to it this morning. When I started my sit and closed my eyes, I told myself, “this is my time.”

Not my wife’s, not my parents’, not my closest friends’. No one else’s on this planet. This is about me.

And it was then I realized the epiphany I was experiencing was the one constant throughout my life: it will always be me here. I'm never going to be someone else; I will always just be me and my thoughts, and I need to be at peace with that.

Being hard on myself or upset with myself serves no purpose. I need to let that go. If I’m not happy with myself, not at peace with myself, then I can’t be at peace with anything. My internal world can’t be full of strife because it will filter and dampen the external world coming through.

I guess that’s what people mean when they say you need to love yourself—you need to be okay with yourself, you need to accept yourself for all that you are. Your mind is with you all the time, and thus can’t be an impediment; it needs to be a boost, a trigger to motivation and willpower and an open mechanism to the outside world, this crazy experience we call the universe.

Anyway, I then had a crappy meditation, because I hadn’t done it in a while. That’s okay, try again tomorrow.

Considering the Legislature

I find the legislative body of government is not held accountable enough in our society. In a nation of laws, those who make them hold the most power.

We could write many simple laws that would vastly improve our system by leveraging incentive. What if everyone was provided a one-time stipend to pursue entrepreneurship? We could incentivize taking risks and the creation of value. What if we simplified our tax code to incentivize transparency? What if we conceptualized corporations as companies or entities, rather than people? We could more accurately classify the different actors within our system, and perhaps even significantly curb lobbying.

There involves nuance in law creation of course. Laws should be debated and considered thoroughly. But it’s important for us as citizens to recognize the importance of the legislative branch of government. We must demand it to be high functioning and honest. Doing so is one small but significant step towards changing the world for all.

The Unknown Ahead

Despite all the technology afforded to us, we still navigate the unknown, at least today. In a future reality we may well know much more, what’s to come and all the factors of a decision. But today, we know very little of what’s to come. It can be frightening or invigorating for us as a species. We can adopt either perspective.

Letting it go

Sometimes the answer can be to let it go. Perhaps not our sights on climate change, or political reform, or globally accessible education. But smaller, personal impediments that infringe on our ability to work towards those larger collective goals… sometimes the easiest solution is to go around and watch them go by. We get to choose our energy and focus in this life, and as much as it can feel like a burden, it can also function as a wonderful advantage.

Present Moments

It can be exciting to look toward the future, or sometimes terrifying. With our myelinated brains we’re predisposed to gaze ahead. And for good reason: it’s enabled us to survive for this long. But it’s also not where true living lies. We feel alive in the little moments of the present. We don’t have to search for them, we just have to pause and let them come.

Walking the Earth

Nothing like a tough weekend hike to reset and refresh. There’s something alluring about a challenging walk in nature, only your companions for company and the prospect of a good view for a reward. It’s an activity humans have engaged in for millennia. Perhaps following in our ancestral footsteps returns clues to feelings of meaning. We walk the Earth, we live on it, and we have this one opportunity to contribute to its system.

Those little moments

There’s gotta be some quote about life being “a series of moments.” And as corny as that sounds, I think it’s true, once time slows down a bit. It can be with your partner when admiring the time together, or at a baseball game when so many small things are happening at once. It could be while on transport, left to your own devices (without electronics to occupy). All that really matters is we recognize the moments as they come, because they offer an opportunity for perspective beyond our day to day lives. And that is the beginning of something greater in the beyond.

Stress Balance

There are benefits to the eustress resulting from hard work. After pushing yourself to accomplish something, it feels good to be tired. We are meant to be deeply engrossed with problems, with difficulty, during our waking hours. Are we spending our time doing that? There’s a time and place for work and for relaxation, alertness and rest. It’s when we find the right balance that we can truly contribute to the larger system.

Sunrise Sensations

An early morning sunrise can spark joy and a feeling of connectedness to the universe. The canvas on display this morning evoked a sense of calm. The Earth is so incredibly beautiful. And we are a part of it, of the very fabric of space time in this universe. Let’s act with oneness. It will all be alright.

Teacher Salaries

I believe one of the most impactful ways we can improve the world is through education. I believe in a strong public education system, one that is equitable to all students of all backgrounds. It seems one of the simplest ways to inject change into the system is to raise teacher salaries. High salaries and great benefits will incentivize more people to pursue, and stick with, the profession. With an influx of supply, we can hold teachers to high standards and increase learning outcomes for students, regardless of socioeconomic status or any other factor. Those children will grow up to become better parents, better citizens, and better members of society. The cycle will strengthen each generation. It’s all pretty simple, but it’s a longterm investment. We won’t see tangible results for 20 years. Are we willing to be patient, are we willing to make an investment to better the future for our children? We can change the world; there are solutions before us that are simple. Can we implement them together as one society?

Storytelling

Humans are natural storytellers and storylisteners. We gravitate towards narratives and ascribe meaning to them. It’s how we learn and how we communicate. Content only matters with all the context. What kind of story are we going to tell about this generation of humanity that inhabits the Earth right now? What type of story will the next generation get to listen to?

In the Universe

When you spend time with friends, you start to see the absolute positives in life. Each of us, no matter the circumstances, has so much to enjoy, to be grateful for. How lucky we are, to be alive with other tribe members on this planet in this thing we call the universe.

Reflection on Tribe

Sometimes you see old friends and it makes for a good reflection point. What are we as a species, besides monkeys banging sticks? And yet we all feel genuine emotion for loved ones, and it manifests one way or another. In some way, the way of the Earth, we are all together.

Breath and Effort

I’ve written about Covid fatigue before: many institutions and processes of the world seem to be “broken” from the pandemic. But I try to resist falling into such fallible fatalism. There are certainly challenges in this strange new world we inhabit, and we are still navigating repercussions from the world shutting down. The way out? To breathe, and to strive. Breathing creates space to believe we can improve and rebuild. Striving brings the effort and execution necessary for making that belief a reality. We can do it, together.

Problems and Solutions

There’s a genuine thrill of excitement when you’re on the path of solution to a complex problem. In the midst of the pandemic, we may have lost sight of that. There are plenty of problems in the world. Any one of us doesn’t need to solve each of them. But every one of us has the ability to contribute to a solution for one of them.

You Never Know

Today I met someone at my company during a happy hour who lived in China as well. We spoke Mandarin together briefly and talked about our travels within that country. It was completely happenstance; we both arrived at the bar to get a drink at the same time. I enjoyed a delightful conversation, and think made a new friend. You never know another’s story, history, or ambition. Sometimes it can pleasantly surprise you.

With loved ones

It can be so intense. We focus on legislation and policy and the impact on everyone. It can become overwhelming.

How about the time spent with those you love? Does politics and economics and climate surface within topic of conversation?

Perhaps it does. The time with those we love doesn’t need to be dedicated to solving world problems.

But it can be a listening point. For further direction, and action.

System and Hustle

In American culture, hard work is valued. To hustle, to take what’s yours, is aspirational to millions of Americans across the country. It’s a positive force among the people. But can we also, while harnessing that energy to the maximum, modify our societal structures so they benefit the masses? Can we rig the system for the betterment of all? That’s the more impactful and sustainable way to create change, and it requires awareness and organization.

Back to the South Bay

My best friend texted me today, “you survived another trip huh.” It felt good to catch up with him, to look through photos of the summer. It felt good to be home. The South Bay Area is a place I don’t know I’ll ever truly leave.

Last Day in Mexico

Even after all the days blend together, there’s still that last day feeling. Tomorrow morning we depart for home, and today was to savor one last bit of the different weather, environment and atmosphere. Although far from the west coast, Cancun is worth it. There’s something special about the jungle, the playa, and the people. Until next time.