Keeping it Real(ity)

This week I want to share one of my favourite pieces of writing of all time. It's not written by an ancient philosopher, Shakespeare, or even J.K Rowling. It's actually an Instagram post! I spend an unholy amount of time scrolling up and down Insta, taking screen shots of posts that I like. And out of the 500-ish Insta screenshots I've got on my phone (yes really), this piece of writing is one that I keep coming back to over and over again and sharing with people because I love it so much!

We can only ever know so much about the world. Our physical senses take in information which our minds then use to try and make sense of everything. We feel happy because we think we truly understand the world. We are convinced that our 'reality' is the ultimate truth. But really we've just created ourselves a very limited view of a MUCH bigger picture. We foolishly think we've solved the entire puzzle, when really we're all just holding onto a single puzzle piece each. The tighter we cling on to our limited view of the world, the more we restrict ourselves from experiencing all possibilities in life and connecting with others.

So what's the solution?

Well like the writer says 'The best way for us to know nature is by admitting that we know nothing'.

For those of us who often ponder about the big questions in life, it can actually be a relief to just accept that we never will have life/reality/the universe all figured out. There is A LOT that we still don't know and may not ever know.

When you come to this humble realisation, this is when the fun begins. Instead of feeling pressured to find the answers, we can shift our focus on simply enjoying the experience more.

There are two benefits of reaching this realisation:

1. 'Admiting you know nothing' means now you can be more open to new experiences, new ways of thinking, and new possibilities.

'Reality' becomes more fluid as you realise that things you never thought were possible, might just be possible.

Remember, there was a time when everyone thought the world was definitely flat and that humans could never fly like birds. Stand on the moon?! Are you kidding me?! Anyone that suggested otherwise was thought to be mad. But look at how things have changed. What was 'reality' back then is different to the 'reality' that exists now. The biggest change makers in history from the Wright Brothers to Gandhi, did not accept their version of reality. They didn't just sit back and think oh well this is just the way the world is. They imagined something better, something beyond their reality. And then they went forth and created it.

2. You become more tolerant of others.

You understand that your way of thinking is not the only way. If someone believes in God, that's their reality. If someone doesn't believe in God, that's their reality. No one is right and no one is wrong. Everyone just interprets the world differently. Everyone is simply holding on to their own piece of the puzzle.

I am not saying that those who preach hate and harm to others should be allowed to just because "it's their reality". But what I am saying is that we can even face our adversaries with a sense of compassion by understanding that they are acting out of their limited view of 'what is'.

To conclude, I guess what I'm trying to say is being too set in your beliefs, opinions and views of the world can potentially hold you back from all the wonderful things life has to offer. Keeping an open mind and willingness to constantly learn can add way more dimensions and richness to your life, making it a far more enjoyable ride :)

Miri x

Have you ever had an experience that's completely changed your beliefs? How did it affect you? Share it in the comments below!

P.S If you like the piece of writing I shared, the Insta account I got it from is conscious_collective where the writer frequently shares more inspiring and thought provoking captions. Super cool account, check it out! Xx