Earth School

“Life is the opposite of school. In school we study and THEN get the test. In life, we get the test and then we learn.” Mastin Kipp
 
Everyday life is our "school." When we are pay attention, we can learn the most valuable lessons from everything that happens in our life.  I don’t know about you, but I did not get a manual for life.  We show up and things start happening.  The most important thing that I have learned recently is that awareness is the key to being successful in life.  If I am aware, I will see that something just happened and it triggered an emotional response.  The response might be anger, joy, frustration, love, sadness, happiness and so many other possibilities.  But, if I am aware, I can reflect and respond from consciousness instead of having a knee-jerk reactive response.  I can bring compassion and equanimity to life’s tests. Meditation has helped me achieve a greater level of present-moment awareness.
 
Life gives us many tests each and every day and we get to choose how to respond to these tests. I have learned from my tests in life that I suffer far less when I go with the flow of life instead of trying to battle the current and control situations.  My days are more peaceful when I deal with challenges as opportunities for growth. I know that being on earth means that I will be presented with a multitude of tests; it is up to me to be conscious and aware of the opportunities to learn and grow.
 
How do deal with the “tests” of life?

In what ways could you improve your techniques for dealing with the tests and learn more efficiently?