A Life Without Problems

Most things aren't problems unless we make them so.

Unfortunately, we make problems of most things.

Over the past 2 years, possibly 4, or possibly since I was born, I have been on a journey to remove problems from my life. It would be safe to say that this way of living is common. That as we grow up we run into problems, and with each problem or obstacle, we seek to end it, to make it go away, to leave it behind.

But what is not common is the purpose and intention for how this is done. See, for me, it's not that I am going about my life and suddenly a problem arises.

Rather, I seek problems out.

But why would someone seek problems out?

The reason that I seek problems out is because I believe that there is a way to move beyond a problem such that it never, or very rarely, ever occurs again. If this is truly the case, then the goal is to move through as many problems as I can in this life, such that as time passes there are simply fewer problems in my way.

In passing beyond each obstacle, I limit the number of obstacles facing me.

But aren't there millions... infinite problems?

No.

There is a nuance to all of our problems, therefore they are all individual. But there are not infinite problems.

One could look at Maslow's needs and say, "yes, there is a short list, but emotionally..."

Our problems are mostly one of emotion.

We keep ourselves distracted from facing these emotional problems thanks to the free entertainment of smartphones and screens.

So we avoid most problems, or we delay facing them.

They arise, and we turn away.

They arise, and we avoid.

Problems arise... and we put them off into the future.

This is a logical way to be if this problem continues to occur in your life.

You know that facing it equals pain. And that it will come back again.

But what if facing it didn't equal pain?

What if facing it meant less pain forever after?

That if you truly looked at the scariest of problems it would disappear, like looking under the bed or in the closet for a monster. Its existence would be nowhere to be found.

This mission of seeking out and removing problems is the current that takes priority in my life above all else, as it is the one that benefits all else.

Who is most engaged, most helpful, most connected with others and the world, but the person without problems?

If your life is controlled by problems, your decisions, your actions, your attitude towards the world around you are constricted.

If your life remains controlled by problems, you will be stuck facing them, rather than facing life.

And in this way, you will miss much of the beauty that is around you.

As you brood and stew on your dilemmas, you will be unknowingly allowing moments to pass that do not come again.

Trapped in your mind is no way to spend a precious life.

And a life without problems is the most precious of all.

It's here that you might imagine quotes that you've seen about how problems and obstacles make you stronger.

That you need something to go up against and conquer, and that this is part of life.

Do we really enjoy the struggle? And is the struggle the purpose?

I do believe it's necessary to identify and conquer our problems. However where we may differ is that I believe upon conquering them, you should never have to face them again. When David slays Goliath, there is no longer a Goliath.

If David slew Goliath, and there was a Goliath again the next day...

Well, then we would be reading the Myth of Sisyphus...

So is there a possibility that you may slay your Goliaths and never see them return?

Yes.

But is that the way that most people move through life?

No.

Why?

Because these problems are first and foremost occurring in a place that is entangled and difficult to parse out.

Emotional problems are difficult to see.

You feel the pain of Goliath's fists but everywhere you look you only see smoke.

And because you don't see your difficulty, you continue to wander lost, beaten at odd turns by fists you did not see coming and that don't have a face of any kind.

The process of disentanglement, while arduous and nuanced, eventually clears the smoke.

And as the smoke begins to clear...

Problems show their face.

And as you see their face,

You begin to defeat your problems...

And suddenly less arise, and you become more free.

And becoming more free shows you possibility.

Of a life...

Without problems.

On the Mind of Independent Artists and Creators.

xx David