Living the Life
This show is all about excepting what is, and using it to your advantage. So many times I meet people in therapy and coaching session who’s life is in constant flux. One day up and the next, rock bottom. These ups and downs can’t be predicted so It can feel like “life” is just happening to us, instead of us making it happen. I cover this principle on another podcast which you can find called Cause and Effect. I’d like to suggest that you no longer allow life to just happen, but do you understand life happens because it’s supposed to.
The very best way for me to explain this, is by using an old story which has been delivered and told in so many different ways that I too, will adding my own version as the message it is conveying is extremely powerful and very simple to understand. This story is based upon the Taoist Farmer.
The Taoist farmer, lived in a very humble cottage with his grandson. It was only the two of them and they had to live off the land as most did and what they had, was just enough to sustain them. They had very little, their horse which helped to plough the fields was slow but effective. Every day the grandson and the horse would do their work to grow the food is that they needed. One morning, the grandson went outside, only to find the horse had disappeared. One of their neighbours heard about this and came straight over to speak with the Taoist farmer ” I heard that your horse that you will use to plough your fields has run-off, that such terrible news” the farmer replied ” is neither good, nor bad, because we do not know the full story yet” a few days later, the horse returned bringing with it to more beautiful wild horses. The same neighbour approached the farmer and said ” what amazing news, you had one horse, then that one horse went away and now you have three!” The farmer simply replied ” is no good, nor bad, because we do not know the full story yet.
The farmers grandson was training to use the new horses to help with plough in the fields and the additional work that they could do, and whilst mounting one of the new wild horses, it bucked him off, he fell and broke his leg. A neighbour heard of this, and came to the farmer. ” were awful news, your grandson has broken his leg and you’re going to really struggle with the crops now” the farmer replied, ” is no good nor bad because we do not know the full story yet” a few weeks later there was a war in the land. The King instructed every able-bodied man to fight regardless of their age. The farmers grandson didn’t need to go as his leg was broken, he was one of the few men left in the land. and neighbour came to the house to speak with a farmer ” you’re so lucky that your grandson doesn’t need to go to war because of his accident” the farmer replied, ” it’s not good or bad because we do not know the full story yet”
You get the gist, from the story that there is so much value in remaining levelheaded whether there is an up or down. It’s a great attitude to have that you simply do not know the full story.
Most of us get so wrapped up in what’s going on to us that we forget so much of it is it within our control. And it’s the control of our thoughts that allows us the peace of mind when the ups and downs come to create turbulence.
So think the current stress or worry you have in your life, and add into the mix ” is neither good nor bad, because you do not know the full story yet!”
Listen up, and see what else you learn and discover during this podcast, and leave me comments or contact me on social media to discuss anything.