Life - this is not a race, why you need to leave the "rat race"

My life was riddled with competitive spirit and adrenaline: a long time I was engaged in extreme kayaking.

But then I had a dream. I took part in the race and was able to get ahead. I won. But in one section of the road disappeared mark indicating the direction. I decided to find out from the organizers of the race, where to go next. "We do not know" - they said. Even if they staged a race, do not know the road, so no race and no - that's what I thought, and stopped running. At first I was puzzled. And then there was a profound sense of relief.

"I have not killed. No need to always be a winner. There is no competition. Stop. It is enough to be the way you are "- I thought, and woke up.

But memories of the dream haunted me for weeks. It seemed to him - a message that I should heed. "Stop. You yourself enough. Racing is not. " What if we really have everything that we want? What if our desires - it is just an illusion?

Recently, I was called to the diving. Fifteen years ago I was involved in them in the courses, but quit because it did not bring any thrill, passion for sport. I took it as a sign that I was again invited to swim, and, of course, agreed.

Adrenaline - a kind of drug, but it is "Start Your Engines" only for a while.

Being a newcomer - it is humiliating. You may not know what to do. You've got nothing. So you want to say, "I do not know anything. Help me, show me. " That's what I felt helpless and defenseless when listening to an explanation about the instructor that 15 years ago, she knew, but now forgotten.

Most of my life I was in front: doing kayaking, participating in competitions in different countries, I have set an example to others. What it is - to be on the other side? You know, it's even great. It seemed to me that I am a beginner again - and not only in diving but also in life.

The new approach required me to take a breath. Accept myself for who I am. And yet - learn to live with a sense of vulnerability. All this has brought me a sense of liberation.

Two dives in the ocean have shown me that I chose the right path. The whole beauty of diving to slowly swim under water, look around and enjoy what you see, keep calm, breathe and relax. It's not up to victories and defeats. Win the one who will be able to assess the grandeur of this experience. This meditation under water: no need to talk, do not think. Just enjoy the beauty that you see around, swim in the company of amazing fish, discover a new world. This cleans the inside. Immediately forget all the bad things of life "over the water".

A little later, two weeks later, I was again invited to swim. Four times we dived into the ocean DIVING coast of Bali, and it was amazing. I asked myself, "How did I get here?"

My life is determined by a new approach to the interaction with the world and myself, I let things take their course.

So I decided to move from New Zealand, all to sell everything and give up, even kayaking. I said "yes" to the unknown, and went to Bali to start a new life. No extreme, no adrenaline, no competition. New life is to say "yes" to all that (as soon as it seemed to me) is not about me.

I slowed my pace of life. It began to act thoughtfully through yoga, meditation, dances. Learned to speak Indonesian, I continued to dive. Now my life is what I thought it would not be even after a million years. I rejoice in the little things, live the present day, to rethink values.

There is no race.

Western collective consciousness teaches us that only at the end, getting to the finish line, we obretom happiness and success. When we were released from school to marry zavedom children get a dream job... Only life and score key. We like donkeys, attract a carrot on a stick, which is impossible to reach. When we get to that milestone, which seemed to open its doors for us in a happy life, a sense of satisfaction from the progress, alas, leaves us very quickly.

"Okay, the desired in my hands, but it did not bring happiness to me. Perhaps it was just a step towards something more worthwhile. Victory ahead "- that's what we think in such situations.

We are looking for the fact that he never lived up to our expectations. The only way to come out the winner of this race - to realize that no race is actually not. Win - then stop. Afford to go with the flow. Only in itself can be found real happiness. Do we aspire to it? by himself just enough to stay, feel the harmony and a deep connection with your inner "me." Vanity only distances us from these experiences that we all hope to ever experience.

What happens when we go the distance? We have to learn to accept what life gives us, and it scares many. It is much easier to run on. It kills the pain and other feelings. At the same time, as long as we carry forward this breakneck race, we are well aware of what is happening around, but do not look at ourselves. The source of the feeling of satisfaction (almost the full) is the belief that we have achieved a lot.

Why do I need to achieve something, to be an important, valuable, worthy? It seems that we are dependent on the tasks: only a tick next to the item from the list of cases give meaning to life.

What if our purpose really - just live and be conscious?

Our thoughts are rarely addressed by the present moment. We either think about the past, sorry that we can not change it, or about the future, plans that did not meet expectations. These two models of thinking - a kind of madness, they have nothing to do with the reality of today. Past - in the past. It can not be changed. The future never comes. Reality - a point which we have now.

Only the failure of the endless race toward an imaginary future will allow to start living for real. Need to rid themselves of the illusion that happiness and satisfaction somewhere outside of our consciousness, and look inside. That's what it really means to take responsibility for themselves and their lives. Leave running and find what you have been looking for, here and now.

Where to begin?

• Free in your schedule for a few minutes.
• Stop briefly before leaving the house or open a car door.
• Do not try to cram into your daily schedule as much as possible. Less is better!
• Do not engage in multiple affairs simultaneously. Focus on something one.
• During lunch, all the attention - for food: rasprobuet her well, feel the taste and smell.
• Turn off the TV.
• Go to courses meditation.
• Be attentive to detail. And learn to say thank you for them.

One day each of us will come to the finish line - the road of life is over. We must learn to live so as to be in this line, with a smile, with a kind heart, a sense of contentment permeating our whole being.

And it will be a victory. So she went to you, you do not need anything from the outside. But can not do without working on the other - from the inside. Have nowhere to go, nothing to achieve, nothing to prove. It is worth only one point to stop and re-prioritize. Create space for the life of his inner "I". Begin to appreciate yourself as something that is given to us, what we have here and now. Learn to listen to yourself. I realize that themselves may be enough to experience the long-awaited satisfaction with life.