What do I want? Congruence. When do I want it? Right now.

The word of the week at our house is: congruence.

It's a beautiful thing. But also a big, heavy word.

Fitting for winter, fitting for hibernation. For lots of thinking and evaluation.

Lately, I've been looking at things in the Right Now, as opposed to the Great Imagined (you know that version of your life that looks a lot like a magazine spread? Where your dishes are always washed, you have an amazing couch, and you finally got around to reading Manufacturing Consent, for the second time?).

It's all too easy for me to confuse the Great Imagined with the Right Now. But in really looking at the present, I'm mulling over how it fits with what I really want from life. What matches up? What's congruent?

Just the act of asking what's congruent brings to the surface everything that is not. And it's uncomfortable to look at. There's a lot. From the huge to miniscule.

Working on bringing the big stuff into alignment--location, home, job, relationships--is a daunting task. Monolithic.

So I went to find out how to get congruent. I did some interior scuba diving. I consulted my inner Oracle of Delphi. I did a little Shiva Nata on it.

The message I got was pretty clear, and pretty surprising.

It's in the moment. It's right now.

It's not just about what I do, it's about how I do it.

It's less about the results, the end goals. It's about finding congruence in the moment. Whatever I'm doing, am I doing it in such a way that supports the kind of life I want to live? (And if not, can I find a way to create alignment without giving myself a hard time for needing to do so?)

Talking with my husband. Playing with my children. Am I joyful, or impatient?

Writing, making art. Am I expansive and exploring, or am I rushed and frustrated?

Steaming veggies. Moving into a yoga pose. Am I feeling relaxed, or pressured?

Having feelings about whatever. Making mistakes. Am I kind to myself and moving on, or self-punishing, angry?

Am I bringing the qualities I want in life to these interactions? Or am I doing things that fit my life design--but in a way that's counter to my desires?

That's been my recent practice. To take a deep breath and ask myself these questions.

Because really, in the end, it doesn't matter if I get that amazing couch and read that hefty tome if I'm fuming the whole time. That's not really what I'm going for.

Congruence. Here's to finding it, right now.

xoxo Maeg

Comments

[sarah diehl]

This is a wonderful post. Something I have to remind myself always. Things will never be perfect, what matters is our mind set in this moment <3

[Sarah]

So true Maeg! Loving your mindset in this post- gonna have to go tweet that shizz :)

[Tamara Like Camera]

I love this post. I almost want to print it out and hang it in the bathroom/kitchen/bedroom/playroom as a reminder every now and then...

[Maeg]

ohh, thank you! 3