And suffer less!

As soon as I saw six cars trolling one parking lot, I turned my car around and headed for the lot four blocks away.  Why?  I know what annoys me, and what doesn’t.  Walking doesn’t annoy me, but waiting drives me crazy. (Pun intended.) I’m sure you’ve probably done this same mental tally yourself.  Whether consciously or not, we make thousands of seemingly mundane, daily choices based on what makes us pissy and what doesn’t.  

Thousands of years ago, yoga began talking about this exact idea. (Although more eloquently.)  Yoga began advocating for the practice of becoming aware of our sufferings, and then adjusting so we suffer less. 

This awareness of suffering can help with relationships as well! If my husband has to walk 4 blocks, he grumbles the whole way.  But he is much more patient than I, and therefore suffers far less while waiting for that parking spot.  Maybe this is one of those keys to a healthy relationship: try and see suffering from the other’s point of view. 

Of course, shifting to avoid suffering doesn’t mean we avoid hard work or difficult conversations or painful memories.  After all, do we really suffer less when we avoid these things?  It’s about self-reflection and self-awareness.  How are we suffering? Can I shift to avoid this?  

Yes, let’s take the road less annoying, but let’s do it with our eyes wide open.  Because where our eyes go, our hearts follow. 

Until next time, 

Laura