Mindset Nugget: The power of Maybe
Following a call with a client this week I was reminded how often we (myself included!) attach our worth and happiness to goals or specific outcomes that we’re after.
Yogic philosophy teaches that by focusing only on the outcome, we can miss the beauty of the process and lose the joy that comes from just being present. It’s like seeing a sunrise—not grasping to hold onto it but allowing yourself to experience its beauty fully in the moment, knowing it will naturally pass.
In yoga as in life, non-attachment is about setting goals and giving them your best shot and then releasing the need for things to turn out a certain way. To summarise it we can:
Enjoy the ride: Find little sparks of joy in every action that moves you toward your goal.
Ease up on the grip: Even if things go off track, remember each experience holds its own value.
Stay curious: Sometimes, what seems like a detour turns out to be an unexpected blessing!
Practicing non-attachment builds resilience and brings a sense of calm to whatever we’re working toward. This way, setbacks and surprises aren’t as stressful because they’re just part of the adventure of life.
The reality is that obstacles and set backs are inevitable whenever we’re working towards something. However, there’s an old Chinese parable which tells the tale of a farmer who lost his horse. It goes like this:
The farmer's horse runs away. His neighbours say ‘Oh no, what terrible luck’, but the farmer replies, "Maybe".
The following day the horse returns and brings with it more horses. His neighbours say ‘Wow, what good fortune you have. The farmer replies, "Maybe".
The farmer's son tries to ride one of the wild horses but he falls and breaks his leg. His neighbours gasp ‘Oh no, how awful that your son has broken his leg, but the farmer again replies, "Maybe".
There’s news that a war is imminent and all the young men in the village are recruited to join the army to fight the barbarians attacking the borders of their territories. However, the farmer's son is spared because of his injury.
The message of this story is to have this ability to see different possibilities and not judging a given situation as ‘Good’ or ‘Bad’. It’s having this flexibility that can really help us during our most challenging times. This is not always easy to do on your own so if you’d like to explore how to change your perspective then book in a discovery call below: