As one who practices simple living, I’ve discovered that the need to feel in control of our lives is our biggest barrier to finding happiness and success. When we let go, we break that barrier. If we accept that we cannot control every aspect of our lives, we can begin to find more contentment. We must be willing to flow with the drift.
Today’s post is a short chapter from my new ebook, Get Back To Where You Are: A Guide To Finding Yourself In The Present Moment. In this short, introductory chapter, I pose an idea: We are like empty boats. We must learn to acknowledge, accept, and find the advantage to drift.
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Drift is a slow and gradual movement or change from one place or condition to another. In and of itself, drift is neither good nor bad. The problem lies in where you drift and how you react to your present situation.
Life takes us places. This is inevitable. When you let life control the drift, you live in the moment. You are present. Presence will bring you satisfaction.
The problem is simple. You attempt to control the drift. Trying to control the drift is not practical because controlling the drift is impossible. The drift is life.
The drift is ever-present. Imagine a river. The river flows. Imagine yourself as an empty boat:
- You must flow with the river.
- You cannot be behind the flow.
- You cannot be ahead of the flow.
- You cannot flow faster than the flow.
- You cannot flow slower than the flow.
- You must go where the flow takes you.
The first step to understanding the problem is this: You are trying to fight the flow. Rather than moving with the natural drift, you move away, creating your own counter-drift. This counter-drift is not real, but you believe it is.
You falsely believe you can change the flow. You think you can control the outcome. You cannot. You must learn to accept the flow and be one with the drift.
The Problem: You try to control your natural place in this world. You fight the drift.
The Solution: Let go. Use the drift to your advantage.
