We know what does us good, don't we? Even if we are only just now learning what it is that we truly want and need in our life in order to live in the fullest, most vibrant, most generous way, there are certain things we know that we need.
We need the support of good people; we need regular sleep; we need to not drink too much alcohol or eat too much sugar and fat; we need regular exercise of the kind that suits our constitution as it is today (not how it was 20, or even 5 years ago); we need connection and movement and light.
How can this be so hard to maintain?
Somebody asked me: 'If I know that those people are no good for me and that hanging out with them makes me ill; if I know that drinking that much and staying out that late interferes with my life in a bad way, why do I still do it? '
Bless his heart, that man.
What he is looking for is VIVEKA: the discrimination with which we choose wisely.
At first, our efforts at viveka are stymied by our lack of self-awareness - when we are starting out it is so difficult to realise except by trial and error, what serves our best self and what does not. Perhaps it is the human condition to want everything and to have it all, or perhaps it is that we live in a capitalist society that entreats us all the time to have more, want more and do more. More likely, it is just the case that part of learning what does suit us, is learning what does not.
I'm not going to list here the choices you make every single day and I'm not going to make value judgements around herbal tea vs. a cup of coffee: sometimes a nice glass of wine is a Very Good Thing. You are a grown-up; you know this stuff.
But I am going to suggest that you set yourself a few boundaries around what you are allowing into your life, your day, your soul and I am going to encourage you to take time every day to consider the choices you are making (and if you don't have time in your day to take some time to breathe and consider the choices you are making, then you definitely need to take some time every day to ponder why you don't have the time).
Somebody told us that we can have it all; this is not the truth, but we can have a full life and a happy one, we can be the best versions of ourselves. It only needs that we choose wisely. We must learn to say no to the things that harm or deplete us, without guilt; we must learn how to keep ourselves well.
So be well, my friend, be healthy and happy. Set boundaries so that you can stay wholehearted and generous even on the days when the sadness in the world makes you want to lock the doors and hide inside.
Sarah x