Perfect Conditions

As we begin our new life of adventure and personal development, we are often excited and enthused. We are eager to set out, ride the waves, climb the mountain, and explore aspects of ourselves on our own “Hero’s Journey”. In doing so, we rarely concern ourselves with ideal or perfect conditions.

As we walk our path and develop our life skills and continue adventuring, preferable conditions gain importance. Whether it’s beautiful warm and dry rock to climb, a glassy wave peeling down the shore held up by perfect wind, or two feet of fresh powder snow untouched by any human that we float through on a bluebird morning, ideal conditions can make or break a day of adventure sports for even the most seasoned athletes, hence they become sought after like the holy grail. Athletes sometimes write-off a day because of imperfect conditions or hope and plan around potential perfect conditions, often leading to disappointment, being let down, feeling cheated, or even feeling robbed by the Universe.

There’s a parallel to life in case you haven’t caught onto where I’m going with this.

How often do we find ourselves seeking perfect conditions in our lives? The perfect partner, family, job, house, vacation, etc. Our partner doesn’t meet our expectations, our child fails an exam, our brand new car breaks down on a road trip, we don’t end up getting the Christmas bonus we so undeniably know we deserve, or the all too common: getting sick while on holiday.

The important truth we need to recognise is that perfection simply does not exist. Perfection is an illusion, a mental construct, an idea. It’s a preconceived notion of how things should be in order for us to be happy and fulfilled. It’s an idea that we humans strive so hard to attain in too many areas of our lives; however, we all too often never truly find.

This brings to mind a teaching of the Buddha. On his own journey of self-discovery, Buddha found that though there are many, there are specifically three situations in which the way humans think that causes us to suffer. Firstly, when we want something but we don’t get it. Secondly, when we don’t want something and we get it. And lastly, when we get what we want but it goes away. I know that I can relate to every one of these situations. If you were to be honest with yourselves, I’m sure that you’d relate too. So what do we do? How do we fix this? How do we avoid this suffering?

If you're finding yourself at all curious. The antidote, my dear readers, is acceptance. Acceptance of what is. Accepting the conditions for what they are in the moment and seeking inner solutions to perceived outer problems. If said another way, concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world and the current conditions but what needs to be changed in ourselves and in our attitudes. Accept that the waves aren’t perfect on that long awaited surf trip, accept that our child isn’t the perfect scholar, accept that fresh snow didn’t drop the night before your big day out, accept the fact that our boss is human and therefore imperfect. When we find acceptance, we find serenity.

Sometimes acceptance in itself… is perfection.

Always... fulfilment comes from within rather than the world around us. Fulfilment is intrinsic rather than extrinsic.

One of the best ways that we can learn to create that fulfilment is by working with a Coach. Book a free consultation with Life Force Coach - Kevin Venn