The highest level of well-being: spiritual invulnerability
Recently, a hot topic seen on the internet: truly envy those who are spiritually invulnerable. Such individuals do not dwell on trifles, nor do they repeatedly ponder the past, let alone feel half-dead over a hint of malice. When faced with negative comments or pressure from the outside world, they can still maintain inner stability and calm, drawing strength and good spirits from details that bring a sense of achievement.
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Living neither in others’ mouths nor trapped in their eyes, what does spiritual invulnerability mean?
Simply put, it means maintaining a state of ease and comfort in one’s spiritual world, unaffected by external negative factors.
On the other hand, there is spiritual vulnerability. When we are hurt, criticized, or condemned by the outside world, we often feel pain, despair, and even sink into a quagmire of self-doubt; this is spiritual vulnerability. What truly traps you is not others’ gaze but your fragile heart.
In Yu Hua’s “To Live,” it is written: life belongs to the individual’s perceptions, not to anyone else’s opinions. Indeed, life is one’s own, perceptions are one’s own, so why let others’ mouths dictate one’s life? Break free from others’ glances, find your own rhythm, be unafraid of words, disregard censure, thicken your skin a bit, dull your heart a bit. Life is yours, don’t let others define you by their standards, don’t be bound by others’ prejudices; that is true clarity.
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A true strong person is spiritually invulnerable. In martial arts novels, there is a supreme mental technique: “Let them be strong, let the clear wind brush the mountain ridge; let them be arrogant, let the bright moon shine over the great river.” At its essence: invulnerability.
When young and strong with many opportunities to make mistakes, we may look down on this state of “invulnerability” and seek the exhilarating feeling of “even stronger than they are, even more arrogant than they are.” As life progresses, we gradually realize that the best way to live is to not care.
You don’t need to be “quick-witted and sharp-eared.” When it’s time to show weakness, show it; when it’s time to step back, step back; invest your limited energy in shaping your profound life. Because I know, I am well, irrespective of how others perceive me.
Whether I live comfortably has no bearing on others’ views of my happiness. Spiritually invulnerable, not caught up in minor gains and losses, not tormented by others’ evaluations.
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Spiritual invulnerability: three methods to avoid letting those noises disrupt your rhythm, draining your energy.
The first is not to fall into self-confirmation traps.
What is a “self-confirmation trap”? It refers to when someone labels you, and you strive to explain, prove, and refute, unknowingly falling into their trap.
In this world, some will understand you, others will misunderstand you; some will believe in you, others will doubt you. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to prove yourself, you cannot gain acceptance and end up in sophistry.
Ultimately, some things are not worth caring about, some matters do not require a fight, some people are not worth your concern. A person’s life does not need others to define it; the best course of action is to be self-sufficient in your world and let things flow naturally in others’ worlds.
The second is learning subtraction.
Make reductions in materialism: cut unnecessary expenses, save some money; reduce social interactions: devote your time and energy to important people, reduce unnecessary noise, quality matters more than quantity in friends; reduce desires: it is painful when abilities fall short of desires…
The third is learning to love yourself.
Loving yourself is wisdom, a practice, an ability. Loving yourself means pleasing yourself, on special occasions, buy yourself a bouquet of flowers, eat a delicious meal, listen to romantic music, never mistreat yourself. Loving yourself means living according to your own wishes, not comparing, not keeping score, not conforming, not draining yourself; live elegantly, bloom silently.
Loving yourself means not harboring illusions and expectations towards others, being considerate of yourself, cherishing yourself, seizing every opportunity to become better and more excellent, continuously growing and adding value. No one has the right to define you or predict your future; just maintain an “invulnerable” state, retaining the passion and courage to explore the world.
Excerpt from: People’s Forum Website
Contributed by: Party and Mass Work Department
