You. Simply You

Within a short space of time I’ve experienced two extreme contrasts. The simple family home life of a Cambodian Tuk-Tuk driver as well as the pomp and ceremony of the Mardi Gras in Sydney. The poverty and simplicity on the one hand and a lavish parade highlighting the need for human rights and equality. Ironically, both herald social issues.
And to further the irony, Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday" in French.

There’s no denying we live in a complex world, as complex beings, with complex issues surrounding us.

Seeing both these things in such start contrast made me realise that within self-made complexity it’s important to let your inherent simplicity matter.

Enjoying coffee in a group of friends yesterday morning I overheard a lady mention something about her divorce. I immediately turned towards her because of the wording she’d used in her story.
She said, “I no longer wanted to be the angry and mean person I was in my marriage.”
I heard:

1. Self acceptance of the shadow parts of herself
2. Self worth in believing she deserved a better life
3. Self empowerment in exercising the choice to change herself to change her life.

Her sentence was simple (the facts stated), but getting to the point in her life phrasing it as she did has involved a complex return journey to ‘self’.
I was excited because her language showed she’d accepted responsibility for her role in her life and an understanding of how everything is connected - her body, her spirit, her relationships and results in her life.
This is integration.
She made the necessary changes internally over the past ten years to live front and centre of her own life, being who she really is, and who she wants to be.
This is integration.

I’m learning to accept that I am everything at the same time.
And so are you.
You’re born with all emotions, but not necessarily taught about them.
You already know that you cry when you’re happy. And you cry when you’re sad.
What’s that about? Hardly simple.

Being in the personal development field with people constantly “working on issues” and breaking through new barriers I see many trying hard through “steps” to get somewhere.
All personal development work is relevant, important and very valid, but following ‘steps’ risks making your journey linear and avoids highlighting the complexity within simplicity.
For example I’ve heard, “I’ve worked through my money beliefs – and now I’m starting to understand my fears around success.”
This is all good, but a linear process removes the unique intricacies of you discovering and trusting yourself.

I therefore recommend instead a lifelong, rewarding process of self awareness and growth which returns you to yourself.
Integrating all your aspects – yet not always “fixing” them enables you to appreciate your unique complexity and create simplicity, namely love, happiness, peace and fulfilment.

Do you feel like all your dreams aren’t coming true just yet?
You may still need to really connect and believe in them. It may be more about you than the dream itself at this stage.
Hold onto the simplicity of your dreams and desires and give yourself time to unravel your complex emotions, beliefs, wants, needs and skills.
And work out what you really want.
Simply.

Recreate yourself as a simple being - in the centre of a seemingly complex world – expressing true love, happiness and peace.
Living like this means you’ve discovered yourself whilst still experiencing all the miraculous elements in your career, your relationships, your friendships and your spiritual quests.

“Man can meet the demands of outer necessity in an ideal way if he is also adapted to his inner world, that is, if he is in harmony with himself.”
Carl Jung