Ever flowing, ever changing. We re-invent ourselves in every moment. We paint reality with our thoughts, with our perspectives, and our emotions. As we change, so does our reality.

It's funny that you mentioned the mind being a bridge. The title of the book I am currently working on is: The Bridge to Understanding.

Yes, problems challenge us to grow, to expand our understandings, our knowledge, our perspectives, and our experience. And, if we handle problems in this way, our very reality changes, because we the creators of our reality change.

Yes, many times, it is essential to step outside of ourselves, outside of our emotions, ideas, beliefs, or definitions. This is something I have written in the past: Everything you think you know or feel is based on an attachment to the past.

How can we hope to see clearly when you look at the world through filtered lenses? We must remove the lens (as much as we are able).

I started doing this many years ago: If you know what you do not want, drop any and all actions, thoughts and beliefs that in any way support it. It's powerful, and very very liberating. It brought my life into alignment with what I do want. In other words, it created space, time, energy, focus and clarity for what I do want in life.

I'm a minimalist. But, I wasn't always. Simplifying my life really helped me to find clarity and peace.

Yes, absolutely, presence is essential. If we aren't present we will miss everything happening in the here and now. We also lose our choice/decision-making points when we aren't present. Presence is very empowering!

Likewise,🙏 thank you for the exchange, it is very enjoyable for me as well.