I recall my school science teacher blowing up as our experiments had because we failed to grasp his teachings. And although I fail to remember the science experiment and its relevance to my life, I did takeaway one very valuable lesson… amidst fury and frustration our teacher began effusively telling us about the three kinds of people who exist in this world: geniuses, intelligent people and idiots. Geniuses, he told us, learn from the mistakes of others, intelligent people learn from their own errors and idiots never learn. Clearly, we had been classified into the latter category.
As we settle into what is being called the new normal, a term I feel is incongruous and requires a different level of discussion, I too discover that there are three kinds of people in our current world. Through my practice as a holistic wellness coach I’m noticing that there are those who are longing for things to go back to “normal” and desperately trying to reactivate the old world we used to live; those who are stuck and lost in the now as they realise their past is crumbling and they have no idea what the future will hold for them; and then there are those people who are embracing the shift and flourishing.
What I’m observing is that the last group of people are capable of seeing the bigger picture, of realising that the way we have been living is only bringing us closer to our earths’ sixth mass extinction and have started to reinvent themselves and their lives for a better world for all of us. A world where harmony resides within us, where we are in harmony with nature and the entire universe we live in.
These people are showing signs of great adaptability, capacity to transform old forms of thinking, beliefs and ditching unsustainable practices. They have the courage to let go of what is no longer certain in their lives and are willing to create something new. This requires a calm mind to see clearly, and a courageous heart to listen to an internal calling of what needs to be done to redesign their lives.
This is where Eric Fromm’s quote comes to light for me. For creativity to flourish it’s required that we release what is certain, and honestly this shouldn’t be too difficult to do, since uncertainty is the order of the day.
Part of our being requires some form of certainty, yet another part craves for uncertainty. And it’s in this space of uncertainty where new possibilities arise. I love the Chinese word for crisis, one part is danger and the other represents opportunity. So, I invite you to focus on opportunity and continually ask yourself what opportunities exist to create a more sustainable life.
Stress impedes our brains to think clearly. When we stress, we live in survival mode inhibiting our ability to encounter creative solutions to our challenges, which in turn has an extremely negative effect on our immune systems making us more susceptible to viruses and other life-threatening diseases.
So, it’s time to take a look within. To look at what you really value in life. Let go of what no longer serves you and embrace what will bring you strength, resilience and wellbeing.
Here are some tips for you to consider adopting for greater wellbeing:
- Make time for yourself. As selfish as this may sound, it is probably one of the most unselfish things you can do. Continue doing what makes your heart sing, and if you don’t have anything, try something new! Perhaps even make time to do nothing! Some of our greatest inspirations arise from nothingness.
- Learn how to calm your mind. Most of us live from the neck up, we are continually in our heads… thinking, thinking, thinking. Transformation occurs in the whole body, so learn how you can embody your transformation by learning some breathwork, yoga or meditation… or whatever makes your body sing!
- Take care of your body. Eat well, exercise, socialise, rest, learn to say no to that which does not support your wellbeing.
- Start a spiritual practice. By adopting a spiritual practice, we connect with something greater than ourselves, and this brings peace to your entire being.
- Find a master, someone who has integrity, who practices whole heartedly what they teach because they have not only learnt from a book, they also have life experience so that their teachings are fully understood and can be passed on with wholeness.
My friends, I call on you to be at the very least intelligent, learn from your past mistakes. And if you want to learn the fast way, find someone to support you in your journey, and then you too can be considered a genius!