Let Reality be Reality

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.
Lao Tzu

Most of us really love routine.  We can put our mind on cruise control and go through most of our daily tasks; wake up, put coffee on, let the dog outside, and on it goes until we’re driving to work and don’t remember what we passed, because we are still on the automatic setting.  This is helpful to us in that we don’t have to waste a lot of energy thinking about what to do.  It can also become more than simple routine and become something we’re unable to change. 

How is this bad?  Well, when life around you changes and you are unable to find your way anymore, you end up mourning the loss and cannot see anything else.  Or, when you know you need to change something and are afraid to do it, because you don’t want change, you end up continuing in an unhealthy direction.  I’ve had people say very clearly that something in their lives is “killing them” and they don’t know how they can continue.  However, despite the fact that they have no problem describing how awful their life is now, they will not make change.

What happens to these people is that they continue on until something drastic happens to them.  They believe it is out of their control, and it causes them to change.  Other times they end up getting sick as their unhappiness and stress weakens their immune system. 

Take a deep breath, and ask yourself what you are so afraid of.  If you can name it, it is then something you can begin to manage.  Talking about it to someone who can understand and help you to accept what is real and help you sort out what is going on with you will help you to begin the journey of change.