Easier Said Than Done

Easier said than done. 

That is the reaction of most people to the below quote. 

“Don’t hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.” Epictetus

And they are correct. 

But so is just about everything worth doing. 

When events occur, they are here, and no amount of denial, pushback or stubbornness will change that. It will however exhaust you, waste your time and keep you stuck only seeing obstacles, denying yourself countless opportunities. 

And when we build expectations on a foundation of hope, we set ourselves up for disappointment. 

We don’t have to be excited and happy when things don’t happen as we would prefer. That’s not what the quote says. 

But we can’t allow our happiness to be dependent on how things turn out. 

We can’t keep thinking that what we think we want to have happen is the only path to success, happiness, the good life. 

Think back to past things that you wanted to happen that you are truly happy didn’t, because the twist in the path didn’t lead to doom and gloom as you perhaps originally thought, but instead led you to an amazing opportunity. 

I repeat this quote whenever I find myself getting caught in the “I hope” trap, hope isn’t a plan for success. 

In a few days I have the opportunity to lean into this, as I could hope for things to happen as I want them to, and risk disappointment, or I can hope that I am able to welcome events as they unfold, adapt and move on. 

The latter is in my control, the former isn’t. 

Easier said than done? 

Yes. 

But the pay off is 100% worth it. 

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About Becky

Becky Schmooke (pronounced “Smoke”) is a Mindful Leadership Consultant and Speaker, focused on providing action based mindfulness and leadership training to organizations and businesses who are ready to do things differently.

Becky’s Mindful Kitchen, is located outside of Iowa City, and provides truly unique team building and leadership retreats, strategic planning workshops, private parties and classes and weekly summer camps for kids. The commercial teaching kitchen, treehouse, archery range, bush craft skills, first aid training, wood fired pizza oven, chickens, baby goats and timber adventure playground provides endless opportunities for hands on activities.

As a mom to three girls, 60 chickens, 4 goats, 2 dogs and a fire fighter’s wife- life is never boring and provides Becky with endless stories which she uses to illustrate her approach to mindfulness in daily posts on social media.

In all that she does, Becky has one goal, to build confidence in others to take action to live their best life, not just pass time.