#16 - Discovering Stillness and Living in the Present Moment: My Journey in Finland

In this episode, I reflect on my time in Finland and how it taught me the importance of living in the present moment. I share my experiences of stillness and silence in Helsinki, which allowed me to become more aware of my thoughts and emotions. I also discuss my transition from pursuing a PhD to starting my own company, highlighting the importance of aligning with my true self and living authentically.In the intro, I recap the courage to be disliked and share listener feedback about trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). I clarify that Adlerian psychology doesn’t deny trauma, but it reframes it so that we can give meaning to trauma and reshape our behavior. I express my appreciation for the feedback and encourage you to rate or share the podcast.During my time in Finland, I embarked on a spiritual journey to live in the present moment. Moving away from Austria at the age of 21, I felt a compelling inner feeling to explore something out there. That something turned out to be Finland, a place that was never on my radar, having dreamt of living in London, California, or Australia. In Finland, I learned to listen to myself, ground myself, and live in the present moment, moving away from the future possibilities I always lived in.I recount my journey from Melbourne, where pursuing a PhD didn’t work out, leading me to hit rock bottom. I share how I stumbled upon the Playful Learning Center at the University of Helsinki, got accepted, and moved to Finland, where I experienced the mesmerizing snow landscape of Helsinki and the stillness of the Finnish people. This stillness, devoid of distractions, forced me to become mindful of what was happening in my mind.I share my experiences of training in Zen meditation at the Helsinki Zen Center and my moments of healing by the water in the southern part of Helsinki. I talk about an art installation called ‘Onni’ - happiness, and how it symbolized my journey towards finding happiness by living in the present moment.I discuss my realization that my pursuit of a PhD was based on fantasy and how this led to the beginning of discovering my entrepreneurial journey. I emphasize the importance of living in the present moment, sharing my insights on how to use the mind-heart-soul device effectively.In the outro, I leave you with a thought-provoking question about understanding how to use our mind, heart, and body, and a reminder that we are here, in this moment.Don't forget to like and subscribe to the podcast for more episodes like this. And if you want to support the podcast, give it a five-star rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also check out my YouTube channel, The Unreasonable Art of Living, for more content. Thank you for listening and enjoy the episode.Resources:* Alan Watts: Living Fully Now This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.howtounreasonable.com