A Short and Sweet Insight About Human Nature
For some reason or another, I found myself in a funk over the last few days. I was lacking passion and drive. The world wasn’t quite as vibrant as it usually appears. Little things were going wrong here and there. I just wasn’t happy.
To make matters worse, my go-to activities for realigning myself were failing miserably. I went for walks, meditated, stated affirmations, exercised, watched inspirational videos, read books, activated my chakras…I did everything. But it all felt fake. I couldn’t truly get behind any of those activities because it felt like my core had been depleted.
So this morning I woke up and went on another walk. The question on my mind was “What the hell is wrong?” Half-way through my neighborhood circuit, an old concept that I had somewhat brushed off popped into my head: Our natural state is love.
Then it all clicked: I was trying SO hard to get back to a state of loving and acceptance that I ended up pushing it away. I was attempting to cover my funk in positive thoughts when all I had to do was completely let go so my innate positivity could shine through.
In other words, even resistance should not be resisted. I was fighting against my funk when I should have simply accepted it, and allowed it to pass like clouds on a windy day. Instead I fought against it tooth and nail and prolonged its stay.
In summary: Don’t try so hard; you’re already there. You just have to let go enough for your true nature to bubble up and show itself :)
What simple truths have you come across lately?
Kevin said on 06.28.2012
+1 :)
Amy Otto Mozingo said on 06.28.2012
Thank you! I am incredibly emotionally dynamic and I spend way longer in my lows than I need to when I forget to surrender to “negative” emotions and go with the flow. It’s a hard habit to break but I am so GRATEFUL for these reminders :)
Alec said on 06.28.2012
happiness is misery. its chasing something better than what you have by taking you out of the now and into the fear of past and future.
whenever you ask yourself, am i happy? you are taking yourself out of the moment and you give into fear.
rid yourself of fear, happiness and sadness, better and worse. all you have to do is embrace love
its pretty awesome :)
vishnu said on 06.28.2012
Like clouds on a windy day…
Amanda said on 06.28.2012
Jordan, weird that you posted that. I’ve been in a funk myself for the past few days. I realized the same thing you did. Thanks for sharing : )
sean said on 06.28.2012
^Same here… But I didn’t figure it out on my own. Another helpful post with serendipitous timing!
Living Stone said on 06.28.2012
I love that this clearly shows progression along your path to enlightenment. We’re mostly all still getting there. And love is what should be on the soul of your foot every step of the way.
And also in the soul of your heart (for people that didn’t get the pun).
=D ..happy days.
O said on 06.28.2012
Very true Jordan, i have just read Psycho Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz and it basically states the same thing, think positive thoughts, direct your energy towards the positive side of the spectrum and advance efficiently, the same idea is found in Taoism and Zen….i think this is a very important truth and it is so obvious and simple that i haven`t noticed it or if i did i never realized it`s value…thank you for the tip!
weewo said on 06.28.2012
This is a nugget of timely wisdom. Thanks for the post, Jordan!
Konrad said on 06.28.2012
Just want to let you know I created an account just to say this:
Jordan, thank you so very much. I have been in a terrible funk this last week and have found no comfort in those people/things/activities that previously gave me comfort. My confidence in myself and positivity are greatly diminished. I keep trying to force myself to be happy… to ignore troubles or push them away. I guess, like you said, I need to just let it happen and realize that these are just passing clouds. After all, if it weren’t for rain, the sun would not be so special.
Again, thank you.
Daniel said on 06.28.2012
Everytime i’m in a funk it’s always the small and simple things you remember that completely changes everything –
1.We are one
2. Everything is just a lesson – learn it and it wont come up again
3. There is only now
4. Everything is false and in mind made
5. Only thing real is love
Luly said on 06.28.2012
Love love love! ♥_♥
Brandon P'naantan Pinkney said on 06.28.2012
perhaps the most significant simple truth I have come across came after meditating in the woods during a huge thunderstorm. I was sitting there nude in a clearing with the rain pouring, when I had come to the realization that nature is like a two way mirror to the divine, while we go to it to look at ourselves, we may not always be aware that we too are being watched on the other side
Lucas Ciccarelli said on 06.28.2012
Turns out that there is a limit to how high an upward spiral of good feelings can take us. According to positive psychology it is recommended that we have a ratio of three positive thoughts for every negative thought a day. If you exceed an 11:1 ratio (happened to me this past semester and i couldnt figure out why for the life of me) the spiral deteriorates and you find yourself in an inescapable rut. If your finding hard to let go you can always try the ‘happy inkeeper’ technique when meditating and literally welcome every though an feeling that comes up by name. Welcome anxiety, welcome fear, welcome memories of breakfast. It surprisingly does wonders.
Alex said on 06.29.2012
well said sir! thanks… i needed that (:
Dr C said on 06.29.2012
“What one resist, persists” <3
Beni said on 06.29.2012
The vision that helps me is if it feels like your battling a current, you’re doing it wrong :) one should always feel like they’re floating down river.
Danielle said on 06.29.2012
“You live the life your given with the storms outside, and some days all I do is watch the sky” -Andrew Mcmahon. I’ve always used this as a philosophy on life. Sometimes if you don’t know what your next move should be, your best bet is just to wait out the storm and trust that eventually the sun will come again :)
Maggie said on 06.30.2012
This has answered a lot of the questions I have been asking myself. I have experienced a similar “funk”.Glad I’m not the only one! Hope this perspective works, props.
Space Bizkit said on 06.30.2012
Oh, Yeah! True story, and happened to me before. VERY important part of “do not resist anything” (and also a paradox) is not to resist your inner resistance, as it is trying to show you something you don’t pay attention to. (usually yourself..)
The message is very similar to what I got when I had my first LSD trip, which is something like “Happiness is The Natural State of Everything”. Since then, when I manage to let go of all my resistance, I can return to this state with a huge smile on mah face. Cheers!
Will said on 06.30.2012
I love this Jordan. It’s true. Sometimes the things in life get piled on us like a ton of bricks and mud. I, too, find myself at times failing at getting centered, and you’re absolutely right. Sometimes we don’t need a layer of love, but a strong and powerful hose of it! Washing clean the layers and letting go to let our inner love and vibration come through.
Much love, friend!
Julia said on 06.30.2012
Love the article Jordan! Exactly what I have very recently come to understand.
“No conditions are permanent;
No conditions are reliable;
Nothing is self.”
-The Buddha
IJC said on 06.30.2012
Life comes in waves, you get to choose the ones to surf, or which ones to float.
smudge bransonwood said on 06.30.2012
LIKED what that guy said about positive psychlogy research saying that a 11: 1 ratio of bad thoughts over good thoughts will OVERwhelm a person with some kind of funk.
Value and appreciate your insights re.: Love & identity. Getting something very similar at the local Unity ™ sunday-go-to-meetings.
The decon. structionist in me wants to say: ” always bring a knife to a gun fight for when they run out of bullets.” (smudge + Aztec Camera c. 1987).
smudge
Bloom Box said on 07.01.2012
I must admit the way you felt is exactly what i went through these past few weeks. I was stuck in a rut and no matter what I did I couldn’t enjoy life, even the good parts of it. That is, until I realized I have to let go and accept everything that comes. Accept that tomorrow it is very likely that it will rain and I won’t be able to go bike riding, that I might have a massive headache, that I might miss a bus, that I might fight with a friend or other nasty stuff will happened that might unbalance me, leaving me miserable. I accepted this state of unhappiness.
After that realization(after a month of efforts leading nowhere), everything just sort of fell into place and I had two of the most amazing days of my life, travelling to another city with my best friend.
In other words, I went through the same things as you and I emerged with the same conclusion. Funny ain’t it?
Clementine said on 07.01.2012
“Don’t try so hard; you’re already there. You just have to let go enough for your true nature to bubble up and show itself”
Just the words I needed to hear. :) Thank you
puregreengirl said on 07.01.2012
embrace embrace embrace, thank you!
Flynnstone said on 07.01.2012
I actually was thinking about this the last time I threw up. I really don’t like throwing up, and will try everything to avoid it, but at some point (usually right before it happens), I accept that I am about to vomit and I become very relaxed and happy, so I always end up really happy and at peace with everything after being sick.
Being physically ill is a type of funk right? :)
Aayoush Onta said on 07.02.2012
This is the balanced way.
Bechill said on 07.02.2012
Chemicals flow through our bodies and make us feel certain ways. Sometimes we can control this, sometimes we cannot. If you’re feeling down and simply can’t get back up, the best way to deal with it is to try not to fix it. Accept that it is a state, a phase that will pass. Life isn’t always good, and you won’t always be happy. If you can accept that, the lesser times seem much more logical and bearable. It helps to not feel so hurt from hurt feelings in a way.
LifeLoveEnlightenment said on 07.02.2012
SO TRUE, i had this problem too! but I finally realized the same thing :)
R.V. Star said on 07.02.2012
This is why I say: Well, when you’re mad, you’re mad. So what? Just be mad.
Jeslyn said on 07.02.2012
I’ve been humbled. I’m currently in Dallas, TX, actually waiting for my delayed flight back to Portland, and I have a had a blast. But I have also realized how different communities and energies stil are in this country. I’ve always known this, but my lens sometimes gets a little foggy with only my west coast wanderings.
We are getting closer. But there are still many places that are pretty far off; still stuck in that jumble of fear, and so deep too.
Had a blast here though, great amazing people; but you can still feel most of them grasping at it blind.
Watching the local news in different towns and cities in America gives some terrible perspective too.
Andy said on 07.03.2012
Aye my friend! Live in the moment is where we will find happiness.
The_truth_is_ said on 07.03.2012
I can’t seem to embrace this as reality. “Love” is so selfish and egoistic that I can only hope that our human nature doesn’t revolve around love. I am sure it doesn’t. But, if the placebo works for some, why stop them?
YOYO said on 07.07.2012
I’ve experienced that, only applied to my work.
I’m an artist so I have to stay focused and work as much as possible in order to get better and better. In the future, I’ll have to sell my projects so… yeah.
I was very tired after this school year, and by that I mean so tired and my pulse and blood pressure were so high, my doctors sent me home and I just started at the walls for a whole week until I got better. After that… it seemed my life had changed. I couldn’t be so fired up as usual, I lacked motivation to work… So I’ve started forcing myself. I went like that for 2 months, making plans on how I could work very much during summer, not considering other factors like must take breaks or the heat is unbearable. In the end, I just lied on my ass for 2 weeks and did all sorts of relaxing activities like walking, taking photos, writing, singing… bla bla. My mood is now gone and I’m starting to feel fired up again to work! The secret was: BE CALM ABOUT IT! It’s something you’re supposed to do with pleasure and the pleasure goes away if you just push hard so…
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAY, MAN!
Thomas said on 07.10.2012
But what if our true nature is something that is best to keep hidden?
Jeff said on 07.14.2012
This was an awesome post! I loose track of letting flow happen and focus on my problems rather than letting time and calmness do the trick. That focus leaves me in a state of problem-focus, rather than solution. At times it sure is good to put up a fight for yourself, but loosing a battle (even mentally) can be humbling and a learning experience.
Angelus said on 08.09.2012
Had the exact same experience a month ago… At first I, too, tried to fight it and failed to find my peace again. I was questioning everything: human nature, nature of happiness and success, love, friends, priorities in life… And than I got tired or something, and just accepted some things the way they are, just let it all pass through me… and it did. And I felt lighter, like living beyond all those things that, in fact, matter so little or nothing at all. I was freed… Had to leave comment ’cause I find your situation so similar to mine, and that is relieving.
Kaylie said on 11.30.2012
Thanks for the post.. I can totally relate and it always helps to be reminded to just let go sometimes and let things be. :)
jinigurl said on 06.08.2013
you’ve done a great job,
i’m feeling this feeling right now and feel so uninspired . thanks for inspiration. true indeed, the things we want in life are just right in front of us.