THE INNER TEACHER
Two questions to deepen learning from life and appreciate all the everyday struggles thrown at us. By Leo Babauta
Here’s a quick way to a bit more self-appreciation and gratitude for all that happens during your day. Just by asking two simple questions, each and every day, you can start to build confidence and increase your sense of self-worth, trust and belief in yourself — and navigate with greater ease the challenges that come your way.
Sounds too easy? Try it and see what happens. We usually dislike challenging situations, conflict with others, struggle with our work or habits. Struggle sucks! But what if it were a part of the training of life? And what if we were our own ultimate teachers on this lifelong journey (spoiler: we are!), drawing on the lessons from the day just gone.
What if every conflict, failure, difficulty, hard emotion were exactly the lesson we needed to learn? What if every challenging person and situation was there as a learning opportunity for us, a chance to improve our own inner teacher within?
So, every day, ask yourself these two simple questions:
- What was my biggest challenge today?
- What lesson was I supposed to learn from that?
Reflect on that. Jot it down, and internalise the lesson. Commit to practicing it. Just once every day, consider these questions, put something down on paper in a journal and reflect on it. Then thank your teacher.
Om Magazine
First published in November 2009, OM Yoga magazine has become the most popular yoga title in the UK. Available from all major supermarkets, independents and newsstands across the UK. Also available on all digital platforms.
