When It’s Too Much To Make Sense Of

At times it’s hard to come up with what to distill and offer up on my site for you to read. And I’ll admit, it’s terribly difficult to come to anything meaningful when my personal and professional reality are so overwhelming that, despite my own philosophy and practices, I still endeavor to see the forest through the trees.

This is what happens when life feels like too much to take in.

I’m currently not flying as high as usual and it’s taken a tremendous amount of effort to get through my professional to-do list. An irrational worry looms that this weighty feeling might not go away anytime soon. 

And though, I still look for the common denominator – the theme that emerges in this state – that feels on purpose and worthy of calling out to make visible the patterns that have been anything other than visible.

Here it is:

Contrast is inevitable.

The universe grows through continual expansion and contraction, as does our being through each breath and heart beat.

The foundation of our existence is built upon the reality of contrast. If there wasn’t a thing called dark, we wouldn’t know of a thing called light. We see and rely on contrast everywhere in life.

Contrast is what feeds growth. Without sleep we would not have energy for wakefulness, without dark stinky soil we wouldn’t have colorful blossoms. Contrast, or expansion and contraction, is as real and reliable as gravity.

Here’s where we get stuck though: we know this but we act like it doesn’t, or shouldn’t, apply to our emotions. We frantically hold onto the good times, fearing its inevitable end. And we dramatically lament and push against the bad. We forget that without the dark times we wouldn’t grow and experience the “good.”

And that’s why I share this. It’s a reminder that as the sun will always set, the shadows will always appear too. It’s a beautiful part of life.

The Practice

So instead of doing whatever we can to keep things amazing, desperately fearing and avoiding anything that might upset the high flying feeling we’re in, we can actually shift to being super present and honoring the bliss for what it is.

And when it starts to turn, we honor the dark period for what it provides: growth, cultivation, understanding, humility, and experience. All the while trusting it, too, will morph and dissipate like clouds.

Happiness is the art of experiencing and growing the good times. Joy is embracing the contrast of life and gracefully accepting, honoring, and moving through all that is.

I believe in both, trusting the impermanence, and living on purpose. I invite you to join me so that everything, regardless of whether it’s good or bad, is equally appreciated and nourishing. 

Revel in the mysteries, miracles, tragedies, and delights that comprise your life. How can embracing contrast bring you more joy, peace, and freedom? Can you practice both happiness and joy? What would it take to do so? Take a risk – leave a comment and let me know. Nothing is more worthwhile than sharing in the things that make us beautifully and fallibly human.

xo

 Amy Eliza Wong is a life coach, writer, and speaker in the Sacramento, CA area committed to helping people figure out what makes them tick so they can finally live with joy and real purpose. Learn more about working with her.

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