“Don’t try to steer the river.” Deepak Chopra

Life is certainly challenging and we never know what lies ahead. We can’t steer the river but we can steer our boat. The river remains unchanged no matter how much we want it to be easier with less bends and smoother water. We can’t change the river.

Yet we do have complete control over our boat. We get to navigate the river as we wish. Some people try to paddle their boat up river, against the current. Some people try to anchor their boat to the side of the river, too fearful to move. But the best way to navigate the river successfully is to accept it as it is, with all its challenges and —“Don’t try to steer the river.”

Once we accept the river, there is no resistance. If we take the person out of the boat, the boat will naturally follow the path of the river. No resistance. Paddling a boat upstream is hard work; paddling a boat downstream is significantly easier. Are you trying to steer the river? It’s making life so much more difficult. Steer your boat, accepting all that comes with the river. It’ll make everything easier. Resistance never makes things easier. You might just find that you don’t need to paddle so hard—and isn’t that what we all want?

With Gratitude,

Beth