Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it – Confucius

With so much hate in public speech during these times, schoolyard bullying, workplace harassment, and an increase in mental health issues, its hard to stop and reconnect with ourselves from a place of softness, love, acceptance, and compassion. We are so caught up in the moment the wheel of life, the demands of everyone else and yet we forget about ourselves. I know life happens but we must step into our power and demand more, demand respect, demand what we deserve and speak our truth.

How many times at work I would come up with a roundabout story to justify having some time off because I wanted to do something with my kids or get away for a bit Why could I just not get what I was entitled too? The work culture had a set agenda; the tone came from the top. People would talk, the chatter, noticing who was missing from the team meeting, where are they, they never attended, and the team is not balanced. Avoidance is one way to not get lumped with more responsibility, regardless if it is outside of your scope. Refining efficiency proved to be a good methodology until it wasn’t. I applied it at home so I could apply it professionally, and I did. It drained me, and I soon realised that something had to give. I soon learned from observing the patterns and seeing the side effects that were not good. So many people were getting sick over time and I didn’t want to end up like that, I had a family to support my health was everything.

You can’t show up at 50% they expect 100% even though some days I would observe staff pushing way past the required expectation due to expectations, deadlines, and for what, no recognition? It was a job well done. I’m sure many can relate; you become so good at what you do that you become a robot; it no longer stimulates you to create, aim high, or go beyond, and if you do it once you set the expectation.

I recently decided that I was going to set my own expectations. The conversation went a little like

What do I want to do more of?

How often?

What do I need to change to do it? Can I manage this?

Saying No is becoming my superpower because I am more important. I want that time back, and I only want to do what makes me happy and brings me joy. I want to reflect and connect with my deeper self to see the beauty not just around me or in nature or in others. It presents in many ways, but when we are too busy, we miss it. I don’t want to miss it anymore, I am taking the time to stare, stare deep, read and re-read, watch and re-watch and give time to what excites me.

What are you doing to see the beauty within? Have you seen it, or are you lost? or are you walking around with your eyes shut?

This is not something new; if we read the great teachings of Philosopher Confucius, he provides such insight from his world into the present time with such simplicity for “it does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated” (Khurana,2019).

I want you to stop sometime and see the beauty, don’t overcomplicate it; stop those thoughts and think for a moment so that you don’t go down the wrong path. If it mattered then and had relevance in society to help humanity, we can surely apply these teachings to the current times.

I want to indulge in beauty more and form a simplistic vision of what this is for me, and this comes to me more when I spend time with myself, practice gratitude, patience, perseverance, discipline more and appreciate the little things.

Better to diamond with a flaw than a pebble without – Confucius

Reference: Khurana,S. (2019)  https://www.thoughtco.com/best-confucius-quotes-2833291