What’s Your Worldview?
Albert Einstein said that the most important question we will ever ask ourselves is this…
“Is this a friendly universe?”
I love Einstein! He was a genius. (Actually, he really was a genius!) I also love that question. It helps me put things into perspective. There are so many things that happen “to” us that we can use to worry, complain, point a finger, get angry, and curse the system. How often do we stop to ask ourselves really important questions like this?
What I know is that when I am feeling good about things, I am on the right course for my life. Conversely, if I am feeling miserable, well, it is a clear indicator that something isn’t quite right with my path. And certainly when I am worrying and complaining and blaming others for my unhappiness, I don’t feel good.
That is the time to ask the question.
If this is a friendly universe, then perhaps there is a reason that I am commonly late for things. Maybe my disappointment with my job is a signpost. Perhaps there is a lesson hidden in the arguments I have with my husband. Is it possible that all of the things we call “bad” in life are loving gestures from a universe or God that is benevolent?
How would that change the way you perceive events in your life? What if you got fired from your job? You could label that as a BAD thing, and tell yourself that you’ll never find another job that you actually like. You can back that up by telling yourself that times are tough, and lots of people are losing their jobs, and it isn’t fair, and it’s the government’s fault. I am sure you could find lots of proof that losing your job is a very bad thing.
But what if you asked yourself Einstein’s question? If we live in a friendly universe, how is getting fired from my job a good thing for me? You weren’t very happy at that job, and had thought about quitting anyway, but felt it would be irresponsible to do so. So, you just stayed. You have been given an out! Oh, and there is that dream of selling your artwork at traveling fairs, but you have been “tied down” to your job. Now, you can pursue that dream! In fact, sometimes we need a jolt in our lives to get us up off our backsides and really go after the life that we long to have. It could be that losing your job is just the jolt you needed!
Now think about the difference in mindset between these two examples. It might feel good to wallow a while in a “woe is me” cesspool. It allows us to not have to take responsibility right away for our own lives. (Sometimes we like that.) How likely is it that we will make good decisions for ourselves about where to go next in life from that viewpoint? (It doesn’t look good to me.)
When we believe that things happen “for” us instead of “to” us, it changes everything! From that position, we are able to get creative. We allow ourselves to really ask the valuable questions, and set ourselves on track for a life that we truly desire. What do I really want to do for money? Maybe I can work for myself? What kinds of resources do I have? How many people do I know that would be willing to help me with advice or connections? The list goes on and on. And from this perspective, others are actually really happy to help us out. The choices we make from this place bring forth magic and miracles. The opportunities are practically endless!
Try asking yourself Einstein’s simple question. You might be surprised at how much better you feel about the world that we live in. Then you can go out and make it even better!
