These human systems have evolved with a lot of functionality focused on survival. It is not until recent years that meeting foundational survival needs has been so easy for a large percentage of humans. Many of us have never known hunger. Never have known what it takes to grow, harvest, and hunt each meal. The amount of time it takes to fetch the water we drink, wash dishes with, or bathe in. The energy spent on chopping all the wood necessary for the structures we live in and the ability to heat them. This demanding way of survival may not be many of our truths in this day and age but our internal mechanisms are still hardwired for this way of surviving.
It is important to have a general understanding of the survival mechanisms and how they work.
The truth is many of our minds, our internal systems, are processing as if we are surviving when the truth is we are thriving. Stress is survival. Anxiety is survival. Fear is survival. Anger is survival. Overwhelm is survival.
The internal mechanisms are controlling so many of us. Constantly scanning for the next danger. The next possible pain. And in our scanning, we always find the next thing. Our brains have evolved to find problems to solve. Yet this can become an endless task when unconscious. Spit shining a street corner. An infinite repeat cycle.
It is up to us to understand how our internal mechanisms work. Then we can lead with wisdom outside of our ancient animal instincts. We can harness that energy for real emergencies. For situations that truly call for the chemicals, we are increasingly releasing into our bloodstreams.
One can put their body into survival just from watching the news. Just from driving down the street. Procrastinating. Living in anxiety. Focusing on what ways life could be better instead of all the ways it is a dream come true. Consumerism has used this as a marketing ploy for decades.
But we do not need to be victims of this ancient design. We have also evolved to create beyond survival. Many are doing it. Stepping outside of the animalistic tunnel vision. No longer letting the reptilian brain rule.
Every day there is an opportunity to step toward creation, and away from survival. It is a practice. It is training. What has helped me most is to continually take note of what survival feels like in my body. Shoulders curled in. Pelvic bowl rolled forward. Neck tightly angled forward and to the side. CONTRACTED. Protecting my organs.
It is a pivotal time in our species existence. We have an opportunity to step out from the leadership of survival and lead ourselves. We can revive ourselves to live with more passion, more desire, more gratitude. Our eyes on abundance and the ways life is working for us. We have the ability to train the way we interpret the world around us. Opening up to more pleasure. More enjoyment. More connection. With this awareness, we step out of victimhood and into empowerment. Survival to Creation.
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