"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are."
-Anais Nin
I have had a rocky start to the semester. I am not loving most of my classes. Although the academics are rigorous in terms of quantity, I haven't been feeling challenged intellectually by the program (wah wah, right?). I'd like to say that I responded to the situation by challenging myself, finding ways to independently examine the material in greater depth. However, I panicked instead. I began doubting my decision to return to school, questioning my career path, and wondering if life wouldn't be easier (and I wouldn't be happier) if I just chose to spend my life doing something different/easier. (I'll admit, it's a bit of a dramatic response to being cranky about homework and bored in class.) Although reconsidering my choices is not necessarily a problem, I'm not sure that I'm asking myself the "right" questions.
There's been a pattern lately in the
shows I'm watching and the
blogs I'm reading. I've been thinking a lot about how to create more meaning in my life, how to pursue minimalism and live more intentionally (and I'm hoping to create a record of the journey here). As I struggle with making these changes, it's easy to view the roadblocks as external, thinking, "If I found the perfect job, living a meaningful, happy life would be easy!" Or, "If I didn't have to spend so much time studying, I would be much happier and I could easily simplify my life." However, the changes I need to make are internal. The question I should be asking myself is, how can I change my perspective to be content with things as they are
now?
So I am searching for a way to shift my perspective, to alter the way I view the world. Easy, right? Ha.
Do you ever get caught up in the
"I'll be happy when..." trap? What do you do to sort things out?