In this day and age of Internet and telecommunications, our waking hours are consumed by engagements with clients, colleagues, and friends. We consider them essential, and rightly so, as they help us to relate to the world around us. However, in this endless rush of remaining engaged or connected with others, we often forego the most primal basic engagement; the engagement with self.
A potter’s wheel is able to create something beautiful and meaningful only when it’s outer circumference and inner center are in balance. Similarly, without the balance of the outward with the inward, life can quickly turn into a flurry of empty activity.
Only awareness of self can provide context and meaning to our experiences. Yet spending time with the self-seems like a luxury for most, given the demands of work and family life.
Even when the opportunity presents itself, we rush to fill up space with television, gaming, surfing…or simply snoozing. This is because most of us are often seized with panic when faced with the prospect of spending time with the self.
Why this gnawing need to escape ourselves? For many, the prospect of alone spelling acute boredom. While it brings some face to face with unresolved issues or painful memories; for others, it’s simply the fear of being alone.
But the fact remains that unless we are able to engage with ourselves, we can never truly engage with others. You might strike long conversations, build friendships, fall in love, network, but unless you find it easy to engage with the self, engagement with anybody else can only be on a superficial level.
So while we are all out on the journey to engage with the world, learning to engage with yourself, with your inner space, is vital.
In fact, engaging with the self can be one of the most beautiful, relaxing and uplifting experiences. The journey inwards, besides being a voyage of self-discovery is also a powerful tool to center your energy and bring your focus back to what’s really important in life.
So how do we begin to engage with ourselves?
- Meditation – The simplest method of engaging with the self is through mediation. Start by spending at least 20 minutes in silence every day, undisturbed and completely by yourself. Gradually you will sense a deeper sense of awareness and connectedness with your inner space.
- Start a hobby – Be it art, writing, a favorite sport, anything that you love doing. Invest time and energy to really get into it and challenge yourself. The deeper you are able to get into it, the larger will be your scope for self-engagement and improvement. You might discover and strengthen facets of your being previously ignored or underutilized.
- Try one new thing every day – It’s very easy to slip into a comfort zone and before you know it, life slips into a dull routine. Gradually, the spirit begins to shrink and you start retreating from life instead of plunging headfirst into it. So go ahead and try something uncomfortable or new every day! Try public speaking if it makes you cringe in fear, sign up for dance class if you think you’ve got two left feet, attempt an adventure sport or simply take a new route to work. The idea is to get out of your comfort zone and broaden your horizons. Don’t let failures or unpleasant experiences stop you. To keep experimenting is more important than succeeding. Sooner than later, you will unearth a newfound confidence and fearlessness towards living the life you always wanted.