"You shouldn't give circumstances the power to rouse anger, for they don't care at all."
Marcus Aurelius
The circumstance does not care. It does not judge or mean to incite rage, frustration, discord or disempowerment. It is neutral.
WE apply meaning to circumstances. And what’s more? The meaning I may apply a particular circumstance, could be entirely different than the meaning you apply to the SAME circumstance.
What could anger me, may not bother you in the slightest. And what you may determine to be hurtful or insensitive actions by another, may register as perfectly normal behaviour to someone else.
See what I’m getting at here? The circumstance itself is NEUTRAL.
The story we tell ourselves about it is where either....
pain creeps in
unworthiness registers
failure is perceived
or conversely,
where love is experienced.
where empowerment is felt.
where neutrality is perceived.
The best way to summarize this concept in practice, is by taking Brooke Castillo’s advice. When a circumstance arises, and you register any non-serving, negative emotion…ask yourself:
“So what…… am I making this mean?”
Spend a little time checking in with your mind to make sure you’re not making this neutral circumstance mean something that hurts or disempowers you unnecessarily.
Certainly there is difficulty in this world and some circumstances do hurt; and that hurt has purpose and growth that can spring from it. But if you’re anything like the rest of us humans, I imagine you’ve got a couple stories you’ve told yourself for a looooooong time, that make certain circumstances hurt when they really don’t have to.
I encourage you to look for neutrality this week my friend. Claim empowerment by reminding yourself that the circumstance doesn’t care at all. And maybe, in this instance, you don’t need to either ♥︎.
Sending you love today and always,
Carli