3653: Spirits in a Material World by Kerry Ogden on Timeless Wisdom of Authenticity and Deeper Connection

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[00:00:30] [SPEAKER_00] Before we start, I want to share a super powerful practice I use called NSDR or Non-Sleep Deep Rest. In just about 10 minutes or so, this Yoga Nidra practice leaves you feeling as refreshed as after a nap without actually sleeping. Experience it for yourself on our guided podcast. Search NSDR and look for the one from Optimal Living Daily. This is Optimal Living Daily. Spirits in a Material World.

[00:00:58] [SPEAKER_00] By Keri Ogden of KeriOgden.com. And I'm Justin Malek. Welcome back to OLD where I read to you every day of the year. And thank you for coming back to listen. Really means a lot. You listening means I get to do this as a job, which I wouldn't have any other way. So with that, I'm going to get right to my job and start optimizing your life. Spirits in a Material World by Keri Ogden of KeriOgden.com

[00:01:28] [SPEAKER_00] Quote, If it's something we can't buy, there must be another way. From Spirits in the Material World by The Police. Growing up, our self-worth is formed by how others perceive us. We're continually ricocheting off others, taking little bits of them in exchange for bits of us. Somewhere around midlife or mid-kids, this begins to change. We begin to turn inward.

[00:01:57] [SPEAKER_00] Preferring quiet nights at home to our chagrin, we're often in our jammies by 7pm. Okay, that last line is me. Truly though, the desire to turn inward is part of our ever-evolving human development. It marks the beginning of spiritual life, where we begin to focus on what matters most. If we've lived fairly decent lives, by our 40s and 50s, we have less to prove and more freedom to choose what feels honest and true.

[00:02:25] [SPEAKER_00] As we make our way toward the second half of life, it's important to reflect on deeper questions about who we are, where we are, and how it all fits into our personal narrative. It's a powerful experience that requires slowing down and witnessing ourselves. Leave it to be. One of my favorite writings on midlife comes from the ever-inspiring Brene Brown. She says that midlife is when the universe gently places her hands upon your shoulders,

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_00] pulls you close, and whispers in your ear, quote, It's time. All of this pretending and performing, these coping mechanisms that you've developed to protect yourself from feeling inadequate and getting hurt, has to go. Your armor is preventing you from growing into your gifts. I understand that you needed these protections when you were small.

[00:03:17] [SPEAKER_00] I understand that you believed your armor could help you secure all of the things you needed to feel worthy and lovable, but you're still searching and you're more lost than ever. Time is growing short. There are unexplored adventures ahead of you. You can't live the rest of your life worried about what other people think. The time has come to let go of who you think you're supposed to be and embrace who you are, end quote. All the world's a stage.

[00:03:47] [SPEAKER_00] The ego will protest. It will judge these quiet moments as a problem to be solved. That's because the ego is an actor by trade. It wants nothing more than a narrowly defined role in a spotlight. It gives two bits about soul work. In fact, one of the reasons aging is so terrifying is that it strips away our identity. The costume no longer fits, leaving us vulnerable and exposed. But if we continue to live by the ego,

[00:04:14] [SPEAKER_00] we risk fulfilling one of the great tragedies of life, to reach the end wishing to be the person we were all along. This is why midlife is a defining moment. It's an opportunity to get acquainted with who we really are sans script, a chance to discard the faded cloak of our old self and don new apparel. So do we follow the ego into the rummaging closet or strip down and make way for something new? The path less traveled.

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_00] This work is not for the faint of heart. It can be a lonely journey. So find your peeps. When choosing the road less traveled, it's comforting to have like-minded souls light the way. Unfortunately, Western culture has a dark bias against aging and tends to turn a blind eye toward elderly. Yet there's a wisdom to be gained by those who have traveled before us. Don't take my word for it. Instead, taking the words of 85-year-old Nadine Stare, quote,

[00:05:14] [SPEAKER_00] If I had my life to live over, I'd like to make more mistakes next time. I'd relax. I'd limber up. I'd take few things seriously and I'd take more chances. I'd perhaps have more troubles, but I'd fewer imaginary ones. I've had my moments and if I had to do it over again, I'd have more of them. In fact, I'd try to have nothing else, just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day.

[00:05:42] [SPEAKER_00] If I had my life to live over again, I'd start barefoot early in the spring and stay that way late into the fall. Now live each moment more, end quote. As our limited roles fall away, there is a shift from ambition toward connection. We may be as productive as ever, but the motivation is different. Liberated from the pressure to hustle for our worth, we can drop the masks of our persona, which allows our spirit to shine.

[00:06:13] [SPEAKER_00] Fueled by this wisdom, we find ourselves free to live more creatively and boldly. Liberated from the constraints of what others think, we are genuinely and truly free to be. From the quiet spaciousness of being fully awake, we can love without expectations. Literally, be love incarnate. You just listened to the post titled Spirits in a Material World

[00:06:42] [SPEAKER_00] by Kerry Ogden of kerryogden.com and I'll be right back with my commentary.

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[00:07:17] [SPEAKER_00] Thank you to Kerry for this one. It's so true how we build up these protections over the years. I know I've mentioned it before, how I'm known for being very level-headed, not very emotional. And for a long time, I think I saw that as a kind of armor or fortress that I built, but also as a strength. It's useful for sure. It helps me stay calm and grounded when things get chaotic or stressful. But reading this makes me think about the other side of it. That armor protects you,

[00:07:47] [SPEAKER_00] but what does it keep out? Like the article says, it can prevent you from growing into your gifts. Maybe it keeps you from feeling some of the hurt, but it might also keep you from some of the deeper connections or from being truly vulnerable, which is where a lot of growth happens. It's that idea that the costume that she mentioned and that we've been wearing for so long doesn't quite fit anymore. It can be a little scary to think about what happens when you take it off. But as she points out, that's where the real opportunity is.

[00:08:17] [SPEAKER_00] It's a chance to stop performing and get in touch with who we really are underneath it all. It's a tough journey, like she said, but it's how we find that freedom to just be ourselves. So thank you to Carrie for this one again. Thank you for being here every day and listening. Have a great rest of your day and I'll see you tomorrow as usual where your optimal life awaits.