“All the elements for your happiness are already here. There is no need to run, strive, search, or struggle. Just be.” —Thich Nhat Hanh

Ever since I was a young girl, sharing time with animals and being surrounded by Mother Nature in some way has always been my gravitational pull, drawing me like the moon draws the tide. No thought is needed for me to know where I will find comfort, rejuvenation, and calm – time with my pups or the ability to hear birds chirp, trees stretching tall all around me, or the beauty of a gardener’s loving care, and time has no relevance. I am at peace.

The peace of mind and freedom that may feel elusive rest entirely in our hands. We don’t have to earn more money, grow our family, have a particular relationship with another, or live in a nicer home. Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh writes, “There is no need to put anything in front of us and run after it. We already have everything we are looking for, everything we want to become.” What we already have is the knowledge of what fulfills us, and that knowledge involves being fully present and being who we are.

“Your purpose is to be yourself.” The full expression of yourself. To courageously go within and unearth all that you are capable of, to let go of limiting beliefs and set yourself free to soar.

Thich Nhat Hanh likens it to a rose, a Buddhist teaching that asks, “Does a rose have to do something? No, the purpose of a rose is to be a rose.” Note the different infinitive verb choices – doing vs. being. There is nothing you have to do in order to be who you truly are. You already are.

We often get confused by the distinction between being and doing, so let’s look at these terms in this context a bit more closely.

Doing in the context of becoming ourselves implies that we are not already who we are. That is a false belief that erodes our confidence, thus fueling our wants and insecurities.

Being is grounded in knowing who we are and bravely choosing to embrace and express, thus giving both to the world and ourselves all that we are. We are not idle – we are living fully. We are enough and trust our journey. We understand that growth is continual, as life is dynamic, yet we as the driver of our life journey have consciously chosen to be the driver, embracing both the responsibility and the opportunity being the driver requires and affords. We do not let someone else tell us where to go or how to live, letting them become the driver of our life. We take advice and counsel, yet still apply our critical thinking skills and come to our own decisions. Our knowledge of ourselves rests at the foundation of what guides us, because we know what nourishes us, and we are secure enough in ourselves to stretch, learn, and explore where our curiosity points us.

When we fully understand that we are enough and we know that being ourselves is all that we need to do, our days take on a different quality:

• We live in the present moment – seeing and appreciating the blue sky, the nourishing rainy days, the hush of the snow days.
• We move and care for our bodies, grateful to have a body that carries us through our days.
• Goals are set aside and replaced with the intentions of how we meet each moment – with loving-kindness and integrity.
• Knowledge of what nourishes us informs the intentions we set, and we are at peace with setting them and letting go.
• Each day is a gift to savor – we live this truth by how we hold our heart open, bravely share what delights us, and set aside cynicism and complaints.
• Limiting beliefs are questioned and let go, replaced by curiosity and an understanding that fear that wells up is often the compass revealing where our heart yearns to explore.

The stumbling block often presents itself as knowing but not actively embracing, in other words, being who we are in our everydays. Instead, we may present a false self. This false self can show up in any number of ways, depending upon the culture or environment we find ourselves in. Courage must be tapped into for the ‘being’ to commence. But much like a vehicle that receives the correct type of gas, once we do what aligns with what nourishes us, living becomes a joy. It doesn’t mean our life is hiccup-free, but we greet the hiccups with gratitude and awareness of how to navigate them well because we are living sincerely rather than meeting a momentary stressful moment from an already strained way of existing.

We talk a lot about finding your purpose, or dharma is the term more frequently used here on TSLL, and while that may appear to be a grand and difficult treasure to find, when we remember the simple truth of where our purpose will be found, we can exhale the worry and become energized to know that our truth is within – waiting to be unearthed. So long as we live in the now, put down the masks and keep our courage exercised and ready when we need a bit of an umphff to be brave as we honor our integrity.

So today, may you take a deep breath of relief. Your purpose is here, with you right now. You likely already know what you need to embrace to honor your journey. Apply that knowledge and give yourself peace in the freedom you will discover by being yourself.

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~Learn more about TSLL’s Contentment Masterclass: explore the detailed syllabus, watch the trailer and read student reviews.