By Ana Jovicic
There are quotes that we’ve all heard so many times that we’re not sure what they mean anymore, much less who said them first.
In the same way that we can suddenly identify with countless love songs after experiencing heartbreak, we start to realise the deeper meaning of these cheesy quotes only when new lessons emerge in our lives.
Below are five overused sayings that we’ve all rolled our eyes at, that start to make sense as we find ways to live our lives more mindfully.
“What we do today is what matters most”
The human mind likes to go places non-related to where the body currently is, so it doesn’t like the phrases that emphasise the importance of being “here and now”. That’s why it puts them in the “Nonsense” box.
If you would stop to observe what your mind actually does when you are not entirely present, you’d notice its wandering patterns. It jumps from one thing to another, asks questions, answers them, relives moments long gone, imagines what it would be like if something went a different way, wonders about things that didn’t happen yet, gives excuses, tells stories, makes plans, holds onto some things, skips over others. Every mentioned mental process has nothing to do with the place you are currently in – the crossroad of here and now.
If your mind went off track and you kept following its spinning chain of thoughts throughout the day, there are just a couple of possible scenarios. If you were working, you weren’t really productive. If you were resting, you were getting in your own way of enjoying life.
So this quote simply reminds you about the importance of bringing yourself back to where you already are. We really tend to forget that.
“Embrace the glorious mess that you are”
First of all, what’s glorious about anyone’s mess and why would you embrace it anyway?
This was the first step for all of us who grew from self-loathing masked egomaniacs into more authentic and self-loving versions of ourselves.
With recognising and accepting your messy parts, you’re creating foundations for personal growth. It is natural to judge, run from, feel guilty about, or simply ignore that inner confusion. It is more challenging to pause and truly hold that uncensored chaos in awareness, feel it, experience it, and thereby come to understand it better.
Mindfulness practice teaches you to recognise the humanness in yourself and in others, and all that goes with it. It allows you to see the beauty within the messy and the unknown. By giving yourself permission to be as you are in this very moment, fully awake and open-hearted, you are practicing the love that has no conditions to attain unto. Embracing your mess is a step closer to, well, another form of mess – but more peaceful, loving, and kind.
“Let go of what was, surrender to what is”
At first, this worn out quote sounds give-me-a-break-ish. After giving it some thought and questioning how it relates to your life, it probably sounds like the most difficult thing ever. How can you let go of something that is over if you still want it? How to surrender to a reality that is uncomfortable or simply unpredictable? Answers, again, lie in mindfulness practice.
Being able to completely surrender to whatever life has to offer is an ability that requires presence, receptiveness, faith in your capacities, a healthy dose of independence, and who knows what else. This process starts with observing what is happening moment by moment and then learning how to let go of the need to control the things unrelated to your own choices.
It’s a long-learning process, not just a shift of perception. When it comes to mindfulness and emotional intelligence, a simple decision can’t be a game-changer. Practice is key.
“Practice and all is coming”
In today’s world, committing yourself to practice has never been so difficult and so easy at the same time. On the one hand, the fast high-tech world is designed to distract you. On the other, there are some awesome mindfulness apps waiting to be downloaded by a simple click on your phone – which is always within your hand’s reach anyway.
Taking five minutes a day to practice can actually change the course of your life to a more peaceful reality. Mindfulness practice teaches you to drop the expectations or regrets and stop the hunt for certain goals. Not to be confused with giving up on something you want to achieve, it simply invites you to hold present moment in awareness, reminding you that your only goal is to keep practicing.
Without forcing or avoiding anything, simply by coming back to yourself one breath at a time, all is coming.
“7 billion smiles, and mine is my favourite”
Okay, I may have changed the trashiest quote in the world – but only one word of it!
The biggest lesson we can take from mindfulness practice; the wisest thing we will ever get to learn and live, is self-love. It’s the cornerstone of the way we choose to live our lives, the foundation for our happiness.
Everything in life unfolds from a place of abundance or lack of self-love.
Every relationship we invest in, run from, sabotage, force, learn from, hold on to – is a testimony of the relationship we have with our own selves.
Why do we let something hurt us? Why are we feeling addicted to something or over-attached to someone? It is all about lack of self-love.
How can the world be a better place? Gazillions of self-lovers in different shapes, colours and sizes!
So, to quote the words of Mr Bieber, you should (definitely) go and love yourself.