Inside Out Revolution

1. Our experience is created from the inside out

We're living in the feeling of our thinking, not the feeling of the world.

Inside-out understanding. Our experience of life is not determined by external circumstances, but by our thoughts about those circumstances. This fundamental shift in perspective explains why two people can have vastly different reactions to the same event. It's not the event itself that causes our feelings, but our interpretation of it.

Implications of this understanding:

• We are not victims of our environment
• Our well-being is not dependent on external factors
• We have the power to change our experience by changing our thinking

This realization liberates us from the endless pursuit of trying to control our environment to feel better. Instead, it directs our attention inward, to the source of our experience.

2. Three principles shape our reality: Mind, Consciousness, and Thought

Mind is the intelligence of all things; Consciousness makes you aware; and Thought is like the rudder of a ship. It guides you through life, and if you learn to use that rudder properly, you can guide your way through life far better than you ever imagined.

Universal principles. These three principles are the fundamental building blocks of our psychological experience. Mind is the source of all intelligence and potential. Consciousness is our ability to be aware and experience life. Thought is the creative agent that shapes our individual realities.

How these principles work together:

• Mind provides the raw material of all experience
• Consciousness brings that experience to life
• Thought gives form and meaning to our individual realities

Understanding these principles helps us see that our experience is not fixed, but fluid and ever-changing. It opens up the possibility for new insights and fresh perspectives, even in seemingly unchangeable situations.

3. We have innate mental health and well-being

Every human being has innate mental health.

Original grace. We are born with innate well-being and mental health. This is our natural state, not something we need to create or achieve. Just as our physical body has an innate ability to heal itself, our psyche has an innate tendency towards well-being.

Implications of innate well-being:

• We don't need to "fix" ourselves
• Well-being is always present, even if temporarily obscured
• Our job is to allow our natural state to emerge, not to create it

This understanding takes the pressure off trying to become happy or mentally healthy. Instead, it encourages us to recognize and return to our innate well-being, which is always there beneath our temporary thoughts and feelings.

4. Meditation is our natural state, not a practice to be learned

There's nothing you can do that will quiet the mind faster than doing nothing to quiet the mind.

Natural meditation. Contrary to popular belief, meditation is not a skill to be learned or a state to be achieved. It is our natural state of being when we allow our mind to settle. The quiet, peaceful state we associate with meditation is always available to us when we stop trying to make it happen.

Accessing our natural meditative state:

• Stop trying to control or quiet the mind
• Allow thoughts to come and go without engagement
• Trust in the mind's natural tendency to settle

This perspective removes the struggle from meditation and makes it accessible to everyone. It's not about forcing a particular state, but about allowing our natural state of peace and clarity to emerge.

5. Insights, not techniques, lead to lasting transformation

All an 'insight' really is… is a new thought.

Power of insights. Transformative change doesn't come from applying techniques or strategies, but from having new insights about the nature of our experience. These insights are simply new thoughts that shift our perspective and change our relationship to life.

Characteristics of insights:

• They come spontaneously, not through effort
• They feel obvious once we have them
• They lead to lasting change without struggle

This understanding shifts our focus from trying to change ourselves or our circumstances to being open to new insights. It suggests that the solution to our problems is not more knowledge or better techniques, but a deeper understanding of how our experience works.

6. Understanding thought's role frees us from emotional turbulence

We don't experience our children, parents, or partners; we experience our thinking about our children, parents, and partners.

Thought as creator. Our emotional experiences are not caused directly by people or events, but by our thoughts about those people and events. This understanding frees us from being at the mercy of our circumstances and allows us to have a more stable emotional life.

Implications of understanding thought's role:

• We're not victims of our emotions
• Our feelings can change instantly with new thoughts
• We don't need to fear or avoid certain experiences

This perspective doesn't mean we never have negative emotions, but it changes our relationship to those emotions. We can experience them without being overwhelmed, knowing they're just temporary thought-created experiences.

7. Living insightfully allows life to unfold beautifully

When we see that truth, or indeed any truth about the human condition, it can set us free.

Insightful living. When we understand how our experience is created, we can live more in harmony with the natural intelligence of life. Instead of constantly trying to control and direct our life, we can allow it to unfold naturally, guided by our innate wisdom.

Benefits of living insightfully:

• Less stress and struggle
• More creativity and spontaneity
• Greater resilience in face of challenges

This approach to life doesn't mean we become passive, but that we act from a place of wisdom and clarity rather than from insecurity or fear. It allows us to be more effective while experiencing more peace and enjoyment.

8. Results matter less than our state of mind

Either I have a wonderful life and drive a Porsche or I have a wonderful life and ride a bicycle – either way, I keep showing up each day and playing.

Inner-directed living. While results in the external world are still relevant, they become less important than our internal state of well-being. This shift in priorities paradoxically often leads to better results, as we act from a place of clarity and wisdom rather than pressure and fear.

Implications of this perspective:

• Less attachment to specific outcomes
• More enjoyment of the process
• Greater resilience in face of setbacks

This approach allows us to play the game of life more freely and creatively, without the constant pressure of needing things to turn out a certain way. It leads to a more enjoyable and often more successful life experience.

9. Humility enables us to enjoy life's game fully

Humility isn't thinking less of yourself; it's thinking of yourself less.

True humility. Humility in this context doesn't mean self-deprecation or low self-esteem. It means recognizing that we're part of something larger than ourselves, and that we're not in control of or responsible for everything that happens in life.

Benefits of humility:

• Less pressure and self-importance
• More appreciation for life as it unfolds
• Greater connection to others and the world

This understanding allows us to play the game of life more lightly and joyfully. We can give our best effort without being overly attached to the results, knowing that we're part of a larger unfolding that we can't fully control or understand.

10. We are conduits for a greater creative force, not its source

You're not the pilot on this mission. You're the plane.

Conduits of creativity. Rather than seeing ourselves as the source of our creativity and success, we can recognize that we're conduits for a greater creative force. This shift in perspective takes the pressure off us to make everything happen and allows us to be open to inspiration and guidance from a deeper source.

Implications of being a conduit:

• Less personal pressure and stress
• More openness to unexpected possibilities
• Greater sense of being supported by life

This understanding doesn't mean we become passive, but that we act in partnership with a greater intelligence. We do our part, but we're not solely responsible for the outcomes. This allows for a more relaxed, inspired, and often more effective way of living and creating.

Last updated: August 9, 2024