Show Notes
What if the meaning of life isn’t to accomplish anything, but simply to be alive? Drawing on the words of philosopher Alan Watts, Ryan challenges the idea that we’re here to build successful careers, achieve our goals, or make something of ourselves. Instead, he explores the possibility that our deepest purpose is to notice, appreciate, and participate in the extraordinary life already unfolding around us. When we stop treating life as something to conquer, even our ambitions can become expressions of joy and gratitude rather than struggle. A guided practice follows with a simple two-word mantra for remembering the gift of being here: “Thank you.” Tell Ryan about yourself! https://wakingupwithryan.com/hello Follow on Substack (@WakingUpWithRyan) You can follow Ryan on Instagram (@wakingupwithryan), YouTube (@wakingupwithryanpod), or visit wakingupwithryan.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More from Waking Up With Ryan
What if love isn’t something you have to find, earn, or even learn to give, but something you’ve been all along? We spend so much of our lives searching for love outside ourselves, while the noise of our own thoughts can make it difficult to recognize what’s already there. As Ryan concludes a week devoted to building an inner foundation of peace, gratitude, acceptance, and forgiveness, he turns to the one thing that holds them all together. It’s an invitation to question the limits of who you believe yourself to be, and to discover what might change if you moved through the world knowing that love isn’t something you lack, but something you are. Tell Ryan about yourself! https://wakingupwithryan.com/hello Follow on Substack (@WakingUpWithRyan) You can follow Ryan on Instagram (@wakingupwithryan), YouTube (@wakingupwithryanpod), or visit wakingupwithryan.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why is it so difficult to forgive someone, even when we know that holding onto resentment only hurts us? We all encounter people who disappoint us, frustrate us, or cause us genuine pain. And sometimes, the things they’ve done feel impossible to look past. But what happens when we begin to see people as something more than their worst moments? Continuing this week’s exploration of building a foundation for daily life, Ryan turns to forgiveness — not as a way of excusing someone’s behavior, but as a way of freeing ourselves from the judgments that keep us disconnected from others, and ultimately, from ourselves. Tell Ryan about yourself! https://wakingupwithryan.com/hello Follow on Substack (@WakingUpWithRyan) You can follow Ryan on Instagram (@wakingupwithryan), YouTube (@wakingupwithryanpod), or visit wakingupwithryan.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What happens when the person who encourages you to find peace is struggling to find it himself? Ryan shares something deeply personal about a darkness that visits him from time to time, and the complicated relationship he’s developed with it over the years. It’s a vulnerable conversation about the pressure to be okay, the quiet ways we turn against ourselves when we’re not, and the possibility that even our most difficult seasons have something to offer us. A gentle guided practice follows, inviting you to meet yourself exactly where you are. Tell Ryan about yourself! https://wakingupwithryan.com/hello Follow on Substack (@WakingUpWithRyan) You can follow Ryan on Instagram (@wakingupwithryan), YouTube (@wakingupwithryanpod), or visit wakingupwithryan.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s often the moments when life feels most fragile that bring everything else into focus. After a frightening medical emergency, Ryan finds himself confronting questions that are easy to overlook in the rush of everyday life. Have we told the people we love what they mean to us? Do we really see them, or have familiarity and frustration clouded our vision? Through a deeply personal experience, Ryan reflects on the things we take for granted, the love we leave unspoken, and the extraordinary gift of having someone in our lives. Tell Ryan about yourself! https://wakingupwithryan.com/hello Follow on Substack (@WakingUpWithRyan) You can follow Ryan on Instagram (@wakingupwithryan), YouTube (@wakingupwithryanpod), or visit wakingupwithryan.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How do you stay grounded when life seems determined to pull you in every direction? Between the demands of everyday life, unexpected challenges, and the stories our minds tell us, it’s easy to lose touch with the peace we know is possible. Ryan draws on the imagery of a towering tree and the deep roots that keep it standing through a storm to explore what it means to build a foundation within yourself. A gentle guided visualization invites you to discover a place of safety and stillness you can return to, no matter what the day brings. Tell Ryan about yourself! https://wakingupwithryan.com/hello Follow on Substack (@WakingUpWithRyan) You can follow Ryan on Instagram (@wakingupwithryan), YouTube (@wakingupwithryanpod), or visit wakingupwithryan.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.