The "Real World"

One of the sayings that pisses me off the most is "Welcome to the real world".  I heard it from my parents more than a few times growing up and it has been a source of confusion for me on my spiritual path thus far.  What I am learning now about the real world in the present moment is that it is peaceful and full of love and compassion.  And, that it requires being fully vulnerable to experience it directly.  But, the world that most people are referring to when they say "Welcome to the real world" is full of struggle, suffering, and where being vulnerable is a sign of weakness.  In this unconscious world, getting the job done and living up to certain expectations become more important than well-being and being who you really are.

One of the challenges I have faced is constantly feeling like I am not living up to others' expectations and that I need to be "stronger" and more grown up.  This of course ties into the feeling that there is something fundamentally wrong with me that I already blogged about, so I frequently feel like I need to get a more challenging job or start pushing myself to do more with my life.  But, looking at some of the choices I have made in the past, following this urge from my ego only leads me into situations that are not only overwhelming, but also ones that I don't really want to be in in the first place, but feel like I have to be in them or I am not doing enough.

So, right now I am just going to allow that feeling of not doing enough and remember that I don't have to live in the "real world".