We humans are systems-driven. We have systems—circulatory, skeletal, respiratory, and nervous systems, to name a few. And we are part of larger systems—families, teams, communities, and industries. The systems of the human body vary in how open or closed they are, meaning the degree to which they receive input from other systems. The whole project, though--the whole human--is an open system.
The Good News About Being An Open System
Furthermore, we humans are built for constant change. We lose billions of cells each day and gain billions of new ones. We go through developmental changes that include hormonal and physical changes. In addition to the changes programmed into our genetic code, we have the capacity to continuously reorganize ourselves based on the influence of external factors.
That capacity is the good news.
The Neutral News That Comes With It
We have the capacity to continuously reorganize our identities and behaviors, and in fact we do it all the time. The capacity is the good news. The neutral news is the bit about doing it all the time. Depending on how much intention--not to mention genetic and situational luck has been bestowed upon you--results vary. In other words, you are reorganizing all the time, either accidentally--passively--or on purpose--with intention.
Being and Becoming On/With Purpose
You may recall the "I'm the kind of person who . . . " exercise. For example, you're the kind of person who reads a blog like this. What were you doing yesterday at 7pm? You're the kind of person who does that. At 7pm. Everything you do is noticed by your brain--maybe not by you, consciously, but by your brain. All of those things you do create who you are after you've done them. After all, you're the kind of person who does those things. Everything you do today makes doing something like that tomorrow more likely.
The Key to Everything: Insight
If you are to craft the kind of person you want to be, you first must notice who you are and how you are being. You must first be aware enough to notice that you're a certain way and you're a certain kind of person. Otherwise, you're living your life by accident and creating your future self by accident. Now, that might work for you just fine. But methinks you wouldn't be reading this if that were the case.
Bringing mindful awareness into everything you do and every part of your experience positions you to notice who you have become and to be at-choice with who you want to be. It moves you from the passenger seat into the driver's seat of your life. It allows you to craft your future self, moment-by-moment, starting . . . whenever you're ready.
Join me. Discover who you are and decide who you want to be. And if you want to explore the types of awareness practices you'll be learning, feel free to enjoy and share these guided meditations!
May you be at ease . . .
MM
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