Finding Meaning in Everyday Life

"Everyday may not be good but there is something good in everyday"

One of the biggest struggles of growing up for me was getting used to the concept of "everyday life". Age 12-22 is sort of a goal oriented life and everyday counts towards this big kaboom!(or not!) When everything in life will be beautiful and you wake up in the morning jubilant with so much money to spend and so much happiness to be had. When we wont have to strive or struggle anymore and we can just relax in peace. Getting through undergrad, grad school, getting a job - we are on the goal drug. Drug that keeps us focused on this future goal. When we open our eyes in the morning to moment we hit the bed , we are overcome by this drive to get to that end goal. 

Right about the time when I got my first job, I felt on the top of the world. The new people, the money in my account magically appearing every month, the laptop that a stranger just handed to me, the feeling of being of value - that stayed for a good month. And then one day, I rose up in the morning with this sinking feeling. The dread of going through the same drill again. I did not want to see the same people, work on this "project". although situations at work varied, the structure of the day remained the same. Sleep-shower-work-eat-sleep. In talking to friends and colleagues, it was clear that they were particularly aware of the dreadful regularity of their lives as well. Life turned out to be an anti-climax of sorts. There is a taboo around acknowledging this as this would mean we don't have fulfilling jobs or wholesome lives. But that is not true. I have come to know that no matter how lofty the goal was and how miraculously it was achieved, life plateaus if we are not chasing anything or striving to get to the next rung in the ladder. We expect our plateaued life to fervently replace the drug that had driven us so far. "Everyday life" is the greatest secret about adult life that early education and our parents did a good job keeping from us. We are just hit with it and we have no clue with it. Emotions would run from boredom to suicidal with some moments of joy sprinkled in between. But surprisingly, the joy is extremely fleeting and the boredom feels like its here to stay. We seek excitement by partaking in social gatherings, entertain people, going on vacations, go to the bars and douse ourselves in alcohol or worse with drugs. We are trying to getaway from this dreadful disease called "everyday life". 

The solution that I have experienced and seemed to have worked is to treat everyday life as a canvas for experiencing our wholesome lives. As a lab for spiritual practice where we can bring our beingness into each moment. Part of the reason we experience boredom in everyday life is because of the constant need to be somewhere else. If I can use my life to be in the moment, really surrender to what I am doing in that moment - at the end of that day, it changes me. It brings more of me to the table that I couldn't bring earlier. But I have to tell you, its incredibly hard. So hard. That may be the reason why more people are fed up in the world than they are not. Its a commitment that I believe we need to make everyday because every morning, when the sun shines and our eyes open, we have yet another chance to be more wholly us. What a privilege  it is, and I have to remind myself that every morning. 

The truth is that there is nothing more meaningful than the "everyday life". There are countries in the world where they do not have the permission to have an everyday life. Where the basic instinct is survival and seeing the sun shine is an anomaly. It forces us to see more meaning, rattles us to be grateful and dig into the core of what a day in life is - its truly a canvas. It can be whatever we make of it. It can be the most beautiful and it can also be the most dreadful. Irrespective of circumstances, a day in life is largely how we feel, how present and grateful we are for the day. It tries to elicit that everyday, nudges us to notice the stranger's smile or that piece of paper on the ground, or the fear that creeps us again while public speaking - what would you do about that today? It teases us to take notice of the moments that make the day and the ultimate power we have to our reaction to those moments. 

I read the following morning prayer in the book 'Its a Meaningful Life: It Just Takes Practice" by Bo Lozoff. It hit me in a powerful way and stayed on a part of my life since. Whenever I realize it is one of "those" days, I remind myself to remember that this day, this "everyday" day can truly be my last. 

I am a seeker of truth on a spiritual journey. I believe life has sacred meaning and purpose.

May my behavior today express my deepest beliefs

May I approach each and every task today with quite impeccability

May I be a simple, humble, kind presence on the earth today

May I see the Divine Nature in all beings today

May I be grateful today to those who come before me, and may I make the roads smoother for those who will travel them after me

May I leave each place at least a little better than I found it today

May I truly cherish this day, knowing that it may be my last,

May I remember, remember, remember, not to forget, forget, forget