There comes a time in everyone’s life when we experience an “Aha” moment that changes us forever. We suddenly awaken to something that we never realized before, until that moment. Or we discover that something we believed in so completely was not true at all. This can be true of just about anything from the real reason our dog behaves a certain way, to the moment we see our relationships for what they really are – be it true love, a deep friendship or nothing at all – the list goes on and on. Moments of awakening and seeing truth that has been staring us in the face can affect us as minor shocks to the senses, crushing blows, or entire spiritual events. No matter the magnitude or ramifications, what is learned is precious to our growth in this world. If we are lucky, we receive many awakenings throughout our lives.
I recently experienced an awakening when I realized that some friends I had invested many years of my emotional sanity on were not truly friends at all. The full realization struck me one night with such force that I thought I would shatter into the universe, never to be whole again. My senses seemed to be fine-tuned that night. I noticed the sly looks, smirks, and inside jokes that I was excluded from understanding. It seemed so vibrantly obvious, as though the universe was yelling “Hey, wake up. Pay attention to what is happening!” These were no friends of mine and I was completely crushed that somehow, they had felt so comfortable with making me feel uncomfortable in their company. But the truth was, the signs had been there way before that night. As with all “Aha” moments, the information is already there for us to acknowledge. We just have to become aware enough of ourselves and our environment in order to catch on.
Moments of awakening can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, as I said before. Defining them here would be pointless because each of us are living our individual life experiences. One person’s awakening will be meaningless to another who is either not ready for that information, already has the knowledge naturally, has previously experienced that awakening, or it simply does not apply to them. What is important is to know how to be receptive and accepting of these life changing realizations. The following can help you in finding more “Aha” moments in your life:
DO
Live in the present moment
Pay attention to the people around you
Question the world around you
Research the things that interest you
Be aware of yourself (thoughts & feelings)
Be open to change
Live your dreams
Realize you can change your thoughts
Try new experiences with an open mind
Learn and read as much as you can
Live in gratitude of what you have
DON’T
Worry about the past or future
Live on autopilot
Take everything at face value
Think your beliefs are indisputable
Disregard your intuition
Reject new ideas or opportunities
Merely survive each passing day
Believe you have no control
Think you are too old to learn
Harbor regrets over past choices
Overindulge in purposeless activities
This is only a starting point. And the point is that awareness is key. Living purposely and consciously can make all the difference in the world as to whether you are creating a full life experience or merely existing. Keep your eyes and mind wide open, and let me know about your “Aha” moments!!
Is It Just Me, Or What? 