How does inspiration come to you?
Is it like a sudden lightning strike in your mind or a light bulb that slowly turns on and illuminates the whole space, or is it something totally different?
I tend to experience it more like a sudden lighting strike and what's interesting is that you just can't sit and do nothing when this happens. Because the experience carries a strong charge to do something, to create or solve a puzzle in a labyrinth
Similar to a paradigm shift, moments like these can be the starting point of a new trajectory in transforming one's life for the better.
From Lightning Strikes to Self-Discovery
Recently, I had an inspirational experience that centered around limitations. Up until that moment, my perception of limitations was akin to the dynamic between focusing on the journey or destination.
In my case, limitations were primarily perceived as a destination, in that without arriving at the destination the limitation itself is an unsolvable barrier.
To put it more into concrete terms, let's take an example from my daily routine. I meditate 30 minutes everyday in the morning but now, this seems short to me and I want to extend it to an hour.
However, I don't have enough time for that in the morning. So, time is the limitation here and previously, my way of solving this issue would've been to create or find time on a future date(i.e destination) to make 1 hour morning meditation a reality.
Perhaps, I would've planned when winter comes, I will sleep earlier than usual and wake up earlier than usual to meditate 1 hour in the morning.
But frankly, is time really stopping me from meditating 1 hour in the morning right now?
After this inspirational experience, I realized time wasn't necessarily the limitation, it was my perception of it. In fact, it occurred to me that I was the limitation, since nothing was really preventing me from meditating 1 hour in the morning and then picking up the rest of my day from there. I just didn't have the willpower.
The Illusion Of Limitations
Limitations often appear daunting because we focus on their perceived permanence, treating them like unmovable walls instead of just fences we can hop and walk on.
However, the key takeaway from my experience is this: the most significant limitations are often self-imposed, especially when it comes to things within our control.
The logic behind this is that we often confuse external circumstances with internal limitations. We might blame a lack of time, money, or resources for holding us back. But in many cases, these are simply obstacles we can navigate around with creativity and perseverance, since they're mostly within our control.
Arguably, the true limitations are in our own beliefs and mindsets, which are totally within our control. If we tell ourselves we "can't" do something, we shut down the possibility of finding solutions or even trying and leave the situation as it is instead of pursuing what it can be.
The next time you feel limited, challenge that perception. What's the main narrative and what is it based on? Is it based on objective reality or subjective impressions?
In essence, explore alternative perspectives before making up your mind about anything. Sometimes, the most empowering truths are often the simplest: "Nothing is stopping you but yourself."
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