The message I want to share with you today is:
You are needed. You are needed. You are needed.
We all have different motivations for waking up and choosing to live another day. Beyond obligation or responsibility to loved ones, I’ll share with you three of mine, not because they must also be yours, but because if you wake up one morning grasping for something, anything, and coming up empty, please feel free to try on one of these.
- Curiosity. I am a student of life, and I will never run out of things to learn. There is enough both out there and in here to keep me fascinated and curious for countless lifetimes.
- Contributing. I am motivated to uncover and contribute whatever it is I am meant to contribute to the world, to the cosmos. We each have something, many things, which are completely unique, which only each of us in this incarnation of ourselves can contribute. Those qualities, talents, and your presence are needed.
- Authenticity. I have a thirst for authenticity. Experiencing expressions of authenticity in the world excites me. Inching closer to, peeling back another layer to uncover my most authentic Self inspires me.
These things fuel my flame. I must keep connected to these in order to keep my motor humming. Yours may be vastly different; it doesn’t matter, as long as you’ve got something. Because life is not always easy or comfortable, and quite frankly, sometimes it would be easier and feel better to just sign off. I’ll be the first to admit that at times this being human stuff can be bizarre and I don’t always understand it, but I know this:
You are needed. You are needed. You are needed.
“There is a common misunderstanding among the human beings who have ever been born on earth that the best way to live is to try to avoid pain and just try to get comfortable… A much more interesting, kind, and joyful approach to life is to begin to develop our curiosity, not caring whether the object of our curiosity is bitter or sweet… to lead a more passionate, full, and delightful life, we must realize that we can endure a lot of pain and pleasure for the sake of finding out who we are and what this world is, how we tick and how our world ticks, how the whole thing just is. If we are committed to comfort at any cost, as soon as we come up against the least edge of pain, we’re going to run; we’ll never know what’s beyond that particular barrier or wall or fearful thing.” — Pema Chödrön
Even if you feel you don’t know what that deeply-seated, unique purpose of yours is or you don’t have words to describe it, it’s okay, it’s there anyway. You wouldn’t be here (and by “here” I mean alive) if it wasn’t. Your existence isn’t an accident. It is on purpose. I believe practicing the eight limbs of yoga helps bring our awareness to and cultivate a strong connection to that unique purpose we each have.
“Times are difficult globally; awakening is no longer a luxury or an ideal. It’s becoming critical. We don’t need to add more depression, more discouragement, or more anger to what’s already here. It’s becoming essential that we learn how to relate sanely with difficult times. The earth seems to be beseeching us to connect with joy and discover our innermost essence. This is the nest way that we can benefit others.” — Pema Chödrön
Krystal Barschig 