Are We There Yet? Week 19

Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and at an early age began to practice in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.  In his book, Embracing Each Moment, he writes that “the truth is that the only way we can find freedom, the only way we can find true happiness, unconditional happiness, and unconditional joy is actually from becoming aware of and learning to love the basic truth of reality, which is the lack of security and certainty.” Simply put, embrace change because the fact is that change is the only certainty that there is.

We tend to focus on the negative side of change.   How will whatever is happening negatively impact my life.  Will I catch Covid, will my kids get the education they need, or will I ever travel again?  But there also is a positive side to change.  Change brings about opportunity; the opportunity to change our circumstances, our career, or more fundamentally, the way we are living our lives.  I don’t want to discount the pain and suffering that can result from change as we are seeing with the Covid crisis but whether you are suffering or worried about suffering, you can use this time to reflect on the positive change you would like to see coming out of this crisis.

I have worked with a lot of clients over the years who had a very narrow vision about what was possible for them.  The narrowness reflected their life experiences and not necessarily the facts of their situation and ultimately what was possible.   If they were able to reflect on what they truly wanted from life, what brought them joy, and work out a plan on how to achieve it, often they were able to bring about positive changes to their circumstances and get closer to the level of fulfillment that they desired.

Taking time to reflect is hard work in the midst of a crisis but it is well worth the effort.  

This week’s selections are below:

READING

The Undoing Project: A Friendship that Changed Our Minds by Michael Lewis 

Forty years ago, Israeli psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky wrote a series of breathtakingly original papers that invented the field of behavioral economics. One of the greatest partnerships in the history of science, Kahneman and Tversky’s extraordinary friendship incited a revolution in Big Data studies, advanced evidence-based medicine, and led to a new approach to government regulation.

VIDEO

Modern Love

Inspired by the New York Times column of the same name, the series explores love in all of its complicated and beautiful forms, as well as its effects on the human connection. 

PODCASTS

Locked Together

This podcast brings together some of the UK’s best-loved comedic duos, as they invite you into their homes for an uplifting and entertaining chat about how they’re coping with this new normal. Two top performers, who like the rest of the nation are social-distancing, connect with one another to have a conversation about how they’re getting on, sharing moments of lightness and levity from the last few weeks spent shut indoors.