Trying to get rid of your problems is a losing strategy.
Here's why.
Problems are something that belongs to the ego,
As opposed to the higher self.
And the ego operates on the currency of problems.
So trying to figure out why you have your problems,
That's ego work.
Trying to figure out where your problems came from,
Ego.
Trying to solve your problems,
Actually that's still ego too.
So what do you actually do to be free of your problems?
Well,
Essentially what you do is you stop identifying with the small self,
The ego.
Because problems and drama are the currency of the small self,
They're what keeps it employed,
They're what keeps it important.
The only way to transcend that and reach an actually problem-less state is to stop identifying with your ego.
Recognize that the real you is something beyond the ego.
The real you is something behind the ego.
The real you is something larger than the ego.
When you do this,
The problems don't go away,
They're still there.
They just cease to be problems.
They look like little games,
They look like jokes,
They look like something that you'd see in a rom-com.
When you're that character in the rom-com,
Not the actor,
But the character on the screen,
Man,
The frustration that you're feeling,
It feels so real,
And the heartbreak,
It feels so real.
But when you're the actor playing the character,
You know that,
Okay,
Right now I'm acting that I'm heartbroken,
And so maybe I feel that heartbreak in order to put on a good performance.
But you know that,
Okay,
This actually isn't my problem.
I've heard that some really good actors maybe forget for a moment that it isn't their problem,
And that's how they get in character,
And I think that's why we believe them,
That's why we appreciate their artwork so much,
Because it seems like they're really having the experience that they're portraying,
And maybe they are.
But then,
When we're the audience looking at that movie,
When we're the audience watching that movie,
Sure,
The movie might give us an emotional experience,
It might be an emotional arc that we go on,
And that's some of the fun of it,
But we don't ever confuse ourself for the character in the movie.
We don't ever go,
Oh,
No,
I'm having this problem,
Because the character on the TV screen or on the movie screen is having the problem.
We don't do that,
Because we know that's not us.
We may identify briefly with the character because we're lost in the movie,
We've suspended our disbelief.
That's a big part of why movies are so fun,
Is we just let ourselves be taken away on the ride.
But at the end of the movie,
We don't go,
Oh my gosh,
I'm so troubled because of the problems of that character.
It's the same thing in life.
The real you is watching the movie of your life.
The ego is the character that's playing out the drama of your life.
That's what makes it interesting.
That's why we do life,
Because it's interesting,
Because we don't know what's gonna happen next,
Because there's suspense and mystery and ups and downs and emotional changes.
That's why we do life,
Because it's so fascinating and we learn so much from it.
It gets easier,
Though,
When we stop trying to change the movie into whatever genre we want it to be.
I don't want this to be a thriller,
I want this to be a comedy,
Or I don't want this to be a rom-com,
I want this to be a historically accurate reenactment movie.
I want it to look like this and this and this.
No,
Let the movie be the kind of movie that it is and enjoy it and watch it.
Now,
That doesn't mean be passive and sit on the couch and watch movies all day and don't do anything with your life.
It means listen to the director that's telling you what to do in your movie,
And that director is some higher power,
However you conceive of the higher power,
The divine,
God,
Source,
Great mystery.
That higher power is the director of your life,
And it's trying to get you,
Your small self ego,
The actor or character,
To do a certain thing so that the arc of the story can make sense and so that good things can happen.
I don't really think that in human life there are any movies,
Quote-unquote,
Or life arcs that are intended to be negative or harmful or violent or destructive.
I think that the life arcs have ultimately a positive intent,
And so when you listen to some higher power,
Whatever you conceive of it as,
For directions,
Then you can start to act and not get so caught up in the drama,
But actually enjoy it,
Not get so caught up in your problems,
Not be so bogged down by your problems,
But actually just let them be there and see them for what they are.
They're all part of the screenplay.
I love you so much,
And here is to your liberation.
