In the 1996 film jacobthe main character played by Robin Williams announces at his graduation: “Please don’t worry so much. Because in the end, none of us have very long on this earth. Life is fleeting. And if you’re ever in anguish, choose your eyes To the summer sky when the stars strung across the velvety night. And when a shooting star pierces the darkness, turning night into day, make a wish and think of me. Make your life spectacular.”
There is something memorable in that passage that penetrates deep into our soul. True to his words, Robin Williams lived a remarkable life matched by an illustrious career.
This article is not a guess about the late actor, but rather an invitation to “Make Your Life Awesome.”
The art of living beautifully is a call to know yourself without exception. Otherwise, we are at the mercy of external events that disturb the foundations of our inner life.
Knowing yourself means aligning with our true nature. Unfortunately, many people rarely explore the complexity of their emotional makeup until it’s too late.
A life of beauty emerges when we move beyond our fixed reality and dare to explore the life we dream possible. It means living without fear, beyond the walls of a comfortable existence.
Living a beautiful life means transforming states of disempowerment into positive life experiences.
Life events can scar us, leaving us vulnerable. Apparently, we stop taking risks for fear of getting hurt. While universal, the drawback is retiring without ever reaching the treasures we crave.
The greatest mind of our century, Albert Einstein, said: “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.”
I urge you to explore this feeling by trusting in the mystery where the seeds of opportunity lie.
Life is hardly predictable. Like torrential rain on a muggy night, when change breaks through, it can leave a deluge of uncertainty in its wake.
For that reason, view your problems as a seductive adventure instead of a melting pot of frustrations. While challenging, a shift in perception allows you to appreciate the difficult times in order to cultivate personal growth. We must be aware of these opportunities as they arise, instead of admitting that life is devoid of wonderful moments.
Most people strive for happiness. The shelves are full of advice that proclaims the secret to achieving happiness in thirty days or less. However, research shows that we are less happy than in the past. Perhaps technology is to blame for creating insincere connections devoid of social interactions.
Being of service to others is a way out of the unhappiness trap. It is not a transitory practice either, but an opportunity to deepen our connection with ourselves.
“Like the Dalai Lama and the Buddha himself, many modern scientists and philosophers agree that serving others is the secret to happiness, fulfillment, and a good and beautiful life,” says Lama Surya Das in The Big Questions: How to find your own answers to life’s essential mysteries.
Clearly, we know that happiness isn’t tied to having the latest smartphone or sports car. Although the advice seems obvious, many people fill the void within by accumulating material objects. This creates more desires and if we have limited financial resources, it creates more pain and suffering.
I assure you that no material object will complete you more than what is found in the depths of your soul.
Living beautifully means living according to our highest values. In doing so, we form meaningful connections with others that enrich our lives.
Likewise, we must avoid seeing life as a sequence of routines and daily events that happen in the blink of an eye. If we subscribe to this erroneous thinking, we will succumb to the monotony of living a Groundhog Day existence.
Miracles take place before our eyes. We miss them because we rush through our day by rushing to the next event or trying to meet deadlines. It was the late Dr. Wayne Dyer who said, “Miracles come in moments. Be prepared and willing.” Miracles cannot be experienced by analyzing the past or the future, because they will pass you by like a high-speed train if you don’t notice.
So, tune out thought processing for a moment and move into your heart, the source of all wisdom where your soul calls home.
Similarly, a beautiful life calls us to recognize what is of value to us. One way to experience beauty is to stop, listen, and connect with our surroundings. This means slowing down to the speed of life instead of running around like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, hoping to get everything done but achieving little.
Being present in the moment is challenging because life takes us in different directions. Before long we succumb to external forces, instead of abiding by our internal plan.
We need to relax and let go of unnecessary stressors that are not tied to our long-term happiness. Unwanted stress affects our ability to enjoy life because we react to events, rather than allow them to happen in our lives. Visualize a boxer leaning against the ropes, fighting off his opponent’s punches. He cannot move into an offensive position because he is locked in a Parked state.
Life can have that effect on us because we are pushed to our limits and resignedly withdraw. Sure enough, the next blow comes in stronger than the last, and if we let our guard down, we’re knocked to the ground harder than before.
I wish to leave you with a quote from the epic movie Brave Heart in which William Wallace declares to the Princess of Wales: “All men die, not all men really live.”
Living a beautiful life is an invitation to live passionately while you can.