Audiobook: Your Simple Path By Ian Tucker - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Life - You can now enjoy the audiobook of Ian Tucker's international bestseller "Your Simple Path" here on InsightTimer! Are you at a crossroads? Do you feel that there has to be more to life? The sole purpose of this beautifully simple book is to reconnect you to what truly matters. Each chapter is a step towards letting go of what no longer serves, and liberates you to create a life of authenticity and meaning.

Transcript

Chapter 1 Life Life,

It's a simple word.

In essence,

It's the period between birth and death.

Most of us get about 80 years at it and are generally provided with everything that we need to have a good time.

They even tell us that the best things in life are free,

And so on paper we have it made.

Common sense would suggest that if we spend 80 years doing something,

We'd become pretty good at it,

But for some reason that doesn't seem the case with life.

As you're reading this book,

You're living your life.

How is it going?

No,

Seriously,

How is it going?

You'll be a certain age in a particular place,

And by now you will have had a title or label that defines you.

It tells others how important you are,

Or if indeed they should interact with you at all.

Doctor,

For example,

Is deemed to be a particularly good one,

Whereas bank manager doesn't carry as much clout as it used to.

At some point we have decided that a politician is more important than a lollipop lady,

That we should respect a managing director more than the people who keep the building clean,

And househusband still doesn't roll off the tongue as easy as housewife.

Outside of your title,

You may be a miss who wants to be a missus,

Or a mister who wants to be a miss.

At this very moment you could be relaxing on a sofa,

Dug in on a battlefield,

Commuting on a packed train,

Or waiting on death row.

Either way,

This is the life that you have chosen.

Some of you will be able,

But decide not to move,

Whilst others will be disabled and live life on the go.

Initially you wanted to be older,

But now you're not getting any younger.

There's a very good chance that you want to look different to how you think you look,

And you may have even spent money on picking the perfect nose.

Most of us will be happy when,

But when never seems to come.

Perhaps you will find happiness through the next purchase,

The next win,

The next deal,

The next lover,

The clues in the word next.

You will often choose to live with regret,

Rather than put it right in a heartbeat.

You'll be judged throughout your life how you look,

The colour of your skin,

How you dress,

How you dance,

If you dance,

How you smile or how you don't.

People will make a decision on you before you have even spoken to them,

And if your accent doesn't fit,

They'll judge you on that too.

This of course works both ways,

And your constant comparison and assessment of others brings with it a lifetime of fear-based criticism,

Jealousy and insecurity.

Relationships will have come and gone,

Each followed by relief or heartbreak,

And now you could be single and longing for someone,

Or married and craving solitude or someone else.

You live in a world that works night and day to make you just like everyone else,

So fit in,

Wear this,

Eat that,

Shape up and do as the others do.

It seems that society has a plan for all of us,

And you have a part to play,

But why is it so rarely the part that you would have chosen for yourself?

Winning is everything,

Although we pretend it's the taking part that counts.

Competitive parents stand and scream at sporting seven-year-olds,

Desperate for them to beat other seven-year-olds,

As life's lessons are passed down a generation so they can fit in too.

Children offer us one of the rare chances in life to truly make a difference,

And yet we choose to pile on all of the pressures that we too felt at that age,

Even though we may now believe that there is more to life than grades,

Medals and finishing first.

Money makes the world go round,

So hopefully you have some,

But if you do there's a likelihood that you earn it in a job that you don't want,

As reducing your debt takes over from living your dreams.

Your perceived success will be based around what you have,

The house,

The car,

The clothes,

The friends,

But the people it attracts will reduce in line with your bank balance.

However long you live your life,

You'll count the people who stuck around regardless on the fingers of one hand.

There's an increasing probability that the illness that stops your life will be caused by stress,

And most of the stress in your life will be caused by trying to be the person that others believe you should be.

Nothing drains your energy like not being true to who you are.

A quick fix is available and normally addictive,

Prescription or otherwise they soften the blow and get you through.

Religion may be another option for you,

But depending on where you are in the world,

Your life may be in danger if you choose the wrong God.

Indeed,

Even as I write,

Countries are at war to make sure their God wins.

Life moves on quickly and there's a tipping point that takes you from ambition to regret,

As if only becomes your bedfellow.

As you reach society's take on old age,

The clock on the mantelpiece begins to sound like a countdown,

And our ultimate fear,

Death,

Stops being something that only happens to other people.

For many,

It will also be a time to assess how you have lived your life.

What were the moments that really mattered,

And did you make the most of them?

Did you simply exist and react to your life,

Or could you have made more of a difference?

Have you lived the life that you wanted for yourself,

Or the one others expected of you?

Ultimately,

Perhaps the most poignant reflection will be,

What was your life for?

What was your purpose?

What was the meaning of your life?

Do you take care of me?

I'd like you to take a moment to reflect on your life to this point.

To help you,

Picture yourself as a little boy or girl on your first day at school.

If you have one available,

Then a photograph at this age works perfectly.

It's important for you to know that however many years have passed,

Whatever has happened in your life,

You are the same person as you were on that first day at school.

There is a part of you that has never changed.

You will have met thousands of people and experienced many things,

And all will have shaped you into the person that you are today.

But you can still feel an instant connection with the small child that you are now beginning to visualise.

Take a few deep breaths,

And if it helps,

Close your eyes.

Start by picturing your face,

Your soft delicate skin.

Look how bright your eyes are.

You may have teeth missing,

Which only magnifies your charm.

Does a fringe or ponytail add to your crowning glory?

If you were wearing a uniform,

Then what colour was it?

How do you remember feeling as you sit in your classroom on your first day?

Who else is in the classroom with you?

Can you remember their names?

Can you now associate a smell with the image,

Soap,

Clean air?

Perhaps you relate the smell to your mother or whoever held your hand in the playground.

Or maybe something else.

Freshly cut grass,

Floor varnish,

Paint,

Glue,

School dinners.

Can you recall your teacher?

What was his or her name,

And how do they look?

What about sounds that you associate with your first day at school?

The school bell,

Excited classroom chatter,

Laughter,

Nursery rhymes or music playing.

Now sense your energy at that age,

Innocent and carefree,

Or perhaps you are apprehensive and feeling nervous.

Begin to relive and feel how things were for you back then.

So very quickly you have created a wonderful scene,

And can now see yourself sitting amongst your new friends on your first day of school.

You have called upon all of your senses to complete the picture.

I would now like you to imagine that the adult you is standing just outside the classroom,

Looking in through the window.

You can sense that the energy in the room is one of pure anticipation and wonder at all that can be achieved in life.

You just know that the little you,

Whether nervous and shy or excited and outgoing,

Feels that anything is possible,

And indeed probable.

As you look around the classroom,

All of your tiny friends feel just the same way.

It is now the end of your first day at school,

And through the window you can see that everyone apart from you has left the class.

You watch as little you packs your bag and miss buttons your coat.

Suddenly they look up,

And you both smile exactly the same smile.

As you slowly walk into the classroom,

Little you sits down,

And you take the small chair next to them.

Little you reaches for your hand and looks up into your eyes.

You will know exactly how they are feeling.

How am I?

They ask nervously.

Pardon?

How am I?

They repeat,

A picture of innocence.

Do you take care of me?

What do you mean?

You ask,

A little taken back.

Do you take care of me?

Am I okay?

Am I happy?

Well sometimes you are,

But life's hard and it makes it difficult to be happy.

Why is it difficult?

Isn't being happy the most important thing?

It's just not that easy.

We become very busy with more important things.

Oh,

And other people don't always help.

Extra money would be good.

Our bodies can sometimes let us down.

Now you're on a roll.

You never know what life will throw at you next.

Just as you think you have it sorted,

Something happens and you're back to square one.

It can make you feel so helpless.

They look puzzled.

Yes,

But I can still be happy,

Can't I?

I'm afraid it doesn't work like that,

You reply,

Running out of answers.

Their little hand tightens in yours.

Okay then,

Am I kind?

They inquire.

Their voice is a little more timid now.

Well,

You try to be,

But again,

It's not always possible to be kind.

Why not?

For the same reasons that you can't be happy.

You become conscious that unfortunately your words of wisdom are beginning to sink in.

But before you can change the subject,

Little you continues.

But the golden rules seem really easy,

Don't they?

What golden rules,

You ask?

The golden rules that we learnt in class today.

The teacher told us that they would help us to have a happy time.

What,

You mean at school?

Yes,

But she also said to us that even though they are only simple,

We can use them for the rest of our life.

So did we?

I'm sorry,

I don't remember them,

You reply.

Well,

They are called the five golden rules.

And if we get up and work on them every day,

Then our time will be worthwhile.

What does worthwhile mean?

It's good.

It means that your time here won't be wasted.

Why don't you remind me of what the teacher told us and I'll tell you how we are doing.

The five golden rules.

Just for today,

Were you honest?

Just for today,

Did you worry about things?

Just for today,

Were you kind to everyone that you met?

Just for today,

Have you lost your temper and got angry with people?

Just for today,

Did you remember what you already have in life to make you happy?

So,

How are you doing?

Are you taking care of yourself?

The five golden rules will make as much sense to you now as it would have on your first day at school.

It's obvious that if we saw them as daily tick boxes and managed to mark them each evening,

We would be in a much better place.

Total honesty,

No worries,

Kindness in abundance,

Calm and peaceful,

And all wrapped in an ability to count your blessings.

Who wouldn't sign up?

Of course,

As you answer them and read on,

You'll want to raise the fact that at five years old,

Real life hadn't kicked in.

The opening chapter of this book gave you all the excuses you need to dismiss the previous page as ideological but not practical.

Life exhausts us,

It sucks us in,

Spins us round and spits us out.

It's mad,

It's manic,

It's crazy,

It's nisy,

It never stops,

It's relentless,

We are too busy holding on for dear life for checklists.

How can we be truthful in a world that lies to us?

How can we really be asked not to worry when surrounded by so much uncertainty?

Can we show kindness even to those who make it difficult?

Can we risk being seen as weak and roll over when showing our temper would keep others in check?

Isn't it only natural to want more?

If only there were a way.

Reviews

Love this thank you, looking forward to listening to the next chapter✨💖✨💖✨

Thoroughly enjoying this message. Looking forward to the remainder. Thank you for sharing. ❤️🙏

I love this. I have bookmarked the remaining chapters. Thank you for your kindness in sharing your book on Insight Timer. 😊

Love this. So many life lessons to learn. Can't wait to listen to the next chapter. Thank you Ian have a great rest of week. Many blessings.

Wow, the part about talking to yourself as a child really sent me. I feel so guilty that I didn’t take care of her or treat her well but I’m changing that now. Thank you. 🙏💕

Refreshingly elegant reminder to return to one's self, and look inwards. Thank you for sharing here on Insight Timer

Amazing start of the book! Thank you for your writing - truly inspirational. I'll keep coming back for the other chapters.

You speak truth about how adults are and how that cycle continues with our own children, even when we don’t mean to. Very eye opening, thank you.

That was wonderful. Looking forward to the next chapter

Excellent

Thank you for sharing this lovely story / e-book worth us all
Have a blisfully Zen-day

Thank you for the visit with my inner child, such a beautiful soul, love that little girl ❤️

Awesome! Can’t wait to hear the rest of your book, Ian. Thank you 🙏

💖💖💖💖💖

Thank you Ian 🙏
Truly enjoyed this first chapter on Life. I really appreciated doing this introspection, it gave me nostalgia. Looking forward to the next 🙏

Looking forward to the next chapter. Really changed my thinking for the start of my day 🙏

Simply wonderful. Literally. This makes beautiful sense.
Recently started reconnecting with my younger self, after a few years of absence, & this was the perfect way to integrate this practice with healing and re-purposing my spiritual/energetic self/soul. Thanks so much Ian. I will definitely continue with the next chapters in your book. Namaste 💖

So interesting, really enjoyed listening to this 🙏😊

This is so powerful. Thank you & looking forward to hearing more chapters.

Wonderful, I look forward to listening to further chapters. Thank you 🙏