The Law of Detachment

Good day! We are a couple of days away from Valentine's 2023; some people already celebrated date night this weekend, others are gearing up for the fourteenth, and some do not partake. Either way, it is about loving and being loved. As always, start with YOU and then work on giving all the love, kindness, and care to others. This weekend, I revisited The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra, and I want to share some information about Chapter six, The Law of Detachment.

The Law of Detachment states, "In detachment lies the wisdom of uncertainty. In the wisdom of uncertainty lies the freedom from our past, from the known, which is the prison of past conditioning. And in our willingness to step into the unknown, the field of all possibilities, we surrender ourselves to the creative mind that orchestrates the dance of the universe."

I love this chapter because it reminded me that when we hold on to outcomes too tightly, we cannot enjoy the now. So often, we hear others say things like, "When I get promoted," "When I get married," or "When I graduate," and do not get me wrong, planning and forecasting are excellent, but you still can enjoy the present and the process. We are often under the pretense that we control one thing or another, but we control nothing and no one.

Regardless of whether you are a business owner, CEO, Mother, or in any other authoritative position, you can only influence others. As a mother, I know all too well that my mission is to lead and live by example, guide, direct, and protect. It applies in more areas than parenting; even with heavy rules and money tied to outcomes, people do what they want to do. My point is to loosen up the reigns a bit to have some peace of mind.

Letting go a little does not mean giving up. It means releasing your attachment to the outcome. Attention and drive can still be intense and filled with passion, but if anything deviates from the perfect plan, even a win can seem meaningless. We all must learn to let ourselves and others fail and fall. It does not matter how many times you fall; it matters how many times you get back up.

Those who seek security chase it for a lifetime without ever finding it. It remains elusive and ephemeral because security can never come from money alone. Attachment to money will always create insecurity, no matter how much money you have in the bank.

~Deepak Chopra

Another valid point in this chapter was chasing symbols, e.g., titles, cars, houses, etc. It is fantastic to be the best version of yourself, but when life is lived to collect "things," it is a never-ending race that becomes exhausting and empty. Why? Because there is typically always the next best thing. A new model of a car, a better title, a cuter puppy, etc. Bottom-line many things come and go. If you are attached to something deeply, it can rock your world when it changes, and you become enslaved to ephemeral items.

Symbols are transitory; they come and go. Chasing symbols is like settling for the map instead of the territory.

~Deepak Chopra

Here are a couple of tips to work on being less attached to things, people, and outcomes:

1.??????Relax – Keep making plans, stay organized, and be open to new ideas, directions, and paths. The best road trips are unplanned adventures. The greatest love stories happen with a twist. And life is sweeter and fuller with elements of surprise.

You don't need to have a complete and rigid idea of what you'll be doing next week or next year because if you have a very clear idea of what's going to happen and you get rigidly attached to it, then you shut out a whole range of possibilities.

~Deepak Chopra

2.??????Embrace Change – Change is inevitable, and growth is optional. As long as we are alive, we will see changes in our children, family, bodies, how we think, and how we react. So instead of fearing the unknown or fighting destiny, embrace change and accept it. Expecting things to be how they always were is like watching the same movie at the same time, in the same place every day. Not sure about you, but that sounds like a nightmare.

Relinquish your attachment to the known, step into the unknown, and you will step into the field of all possibilities.

~Deepak Chopra

3.??????Enjoy the now – Nothing lasts forever, not our relationships, shapes, or desires. And that is okay, but we must lean into the great things within our orbit now. Call a friend or relative and tell them that you love or miss them, do not wait until you can't and wish that you did. Travel while you have the means, desire, and stamina. Laugh, dance, cry, live, and push yourself to the limit. So many people's stories are that one day they woke up at 40, 50, 60, or whatever age and felt like their life passed them by because they were so busy grinding that it flashed before their eyes. Remember, time waits for no one, the sun will rise, and those days will turn night.

Only from detached involvement can one have joy and laughter. Then the symbols of wealth are created spontaneously and effortlessly.

~Deepak Chopra

I hope you can practice one or all the tips to make this journey more meaningful, impactful, and worth living. One day we will all become memories and stories, what will yours be?

Cheers!

Neffie?