Say “Yes” to the Mess

Life can get messy. Either we create messes for ourselves or messes are put upon us. For most of us, it is a combination of both. No one lives a perfect life. No matter how careful we are, difficulties constantly arise. Life is like that.

Life is hard. It is especially hard for those struggling with mental illnesses, including addictions. Many people experience tremendous emotional distress on top of the normal difficulties of living. This leaves many feeling hopeless and overwhelmed.

At some point, everyone will encounter trauma, loss, or tragedy. They will experience pain, grief, anxiety, or depression. They will face challenges that seem insurmountable.

When things are tough, the natural impulse is to go negative. We complain. We get angry. We stamp our feet. We pout. We may curl into a ball and retreat. We worry. Our thoughts turn into a stream of negative ruminations about our problems, often tinged with resentments. At this point our consciousness is poisoned.

When we say “no” to our situation, we create suffering for ourselves and others. We are picking a fight with the Universe, a fight we will inevitably lose. You simply cannot live a positive life with negative thoughts.

It is far better to say “yes” to difficult times. Acceptance is the key, as it creates the conditions for positive changes. Saying “yes” frees up mental energy to exercise our creativity. It allows us to channel our energies into whatever we can do to clean up the mess.

Saying “yes” enables our capacity to savor life with gratitude for all our gifts and blessings, even in the midst of the darkest of times. By saying “yes,” we open ourselves to again experience the bare joy of existence.

Saying “yes” is not easy, as it is not a simple act like picking up a cup. It is a deeper, spiritual act of humbly accepting the way things are. It is a letting go of an internal fight with an external Realty. It is a softening and a surrendering. It is a change of attitude. It is emotionally committing to an unconditional reverence for Reality.

In saying “yes,” have faith that if you act positively with love, love with come back to you. When you align with Reality, Reality becomes your ally.

Saying “yes” is also not a one-time event. It is a daily, moment-by-moment practice of a way of being harmoniously in relationship with Reality.

Life goes much better with “yes” than with “no.” “Yes” may not remove the distress and pain, but it will remove the suffering.

Make it part of your daily spiritual practice to say “yes.” Practice a grateful worship of the gift of your life under any and all circumstances, day by day, moment by moment. You will be better able to clean up the messes with a smile. Life will go better. You will find yourself able to enjoy life’s journey with a lightness and joy that “no” cannot provide.