The “exams” to achieve such awareness never end
After having overcome difficult moments in life, be it anxiety, stress, or other difficulties, many of us do not manage to remain in a state of inner peace. The tendency to persistently seek pleasure and satisfaction will resurface.
This is understandable up to a certain point. It’s normal to want to feel good and have fun after demanding tests, but the immoderate search for pleasure hides some pitfalls. It leads us to exceed limits, not to appreciate what we have, and to depend excessively on external stimuli for our well-being.
It is important to cultivate moderation, self-control, and inner balance in both positive and negative moments. Thus, when other difficulties arise, we will not let ourselves be disheartened. And when we feel pleasure, we will not exceed limits, losing ourselves in a vortex of needs induced from the outside.
Does this mean one should not have fun or feel pleasure? On the contrary, it is important to live fully and enjoy happy moments. But always with awareness, without being dragged by impulses. Authentic well-being is born inside of us by cultivating our inner self. It derives from understanding ourselves and what is truly important for feeling good.
If we internalize this perspective, when painful moments return, we will know how to face them better. We will have understood suffering has a transformative value. It can teach us something about ourselves and strengthen us. It is a “pain that does good.” It hides a deeper truth.
The key lies in cultivating an ever greater self-awareness, inner balance, and self-control so our senses will not drag us here and there like a leash, neither in pleasure nor in pain. We will be able to enjoy the joys of life while remaining centred internally. And we will go through difficulties by drawing treasure from them for our growth.
Considering boredom as an alarm bell can be an interesting and transformative perspective. When you feel unwell, think about it. It is rare to feel bored because the mind and body are focused on feeling ill and experiencing discomfort. Time appears distorted as if it flowed slowly and never passes, further aggravating suffering.
In contrast, in moments when you feel healthy and full of energy, boredom can arise from dissatisfaction in not being able fully and best to take advantage of that state of well-being one feels. Having time available but unable to fill it with meaning can generate frustration and tedium.
Welcoming boredom instead of rejecting it, considering it as a signal not to underestimate, can allow us to give it a different and transformative connotation. Looking within ourselves to understand the deep reasons for that feeling of emptiness can reveal unexpressed interests, passions, and aspirations.
Think about it, you are paradoxically fortunate to feel boredom, because it is a neutral space of time that seems too soft and extended, and you can fill it. Would you prefer the painfully extended time of discomfort?
The “exams” to achieve such awareness never end. It is an ongoing journey made up of progressive understandings. But if we make this perspective our own, the path will become lighter because we will know where to direct ourselves towards discovering our inner strength and what counts for feeling good.
Furthermore, we can model our behaviours when we are well on how we behave when going through painful moments. When suffering, we seek comfort, understanding, and the desire to be with others. We feel a profound gratitude for any gesture of help and relief from pain. Therefore, we should live moments of serenity with the same spirit of openness, sharing, and willingness to give and receive help. Letting ourselves be permeated with the same inner richness that emerges when we are in difficulty. This will keep us anchored and centred, truly making us appreciate our present well-being.
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