The Counterintuitive Guide to Life

What if everything we’ve been taught to believe about being a human on this planet is wrong?

—What if allowing is more effective than trying?

—What if kindness is more important than productivity?

—What if our inner growth is more important than external accomplishments?

—What if abundance has more to do with giving than receiving?

—What if the task of a lifetime is not to fix any perceived brokenness, but to rediscover our wholeness?

—What if there’s an entirely different reality than the one we’ve been taught?

If we want to create a world that includes everyone, one built on kindness, compassion and wisdom, we have to recognize that the old conditioning—which is so ingrained that we call much of it ‘reality—no longer works. In its place, if we want to create something better, we need new skills, ones that are in alignment with both scientific and spiritual laws.

In 2010, after 22 years of being diagnosed with a variety of mood disorders and prescribed an increasing number of medications, I had a profound spiritual experience. In an instant, I saw what Albert Einstein is said to have called “the optical delusion of consciousness.”

I spent the next seven years mostly in solitude and silence, diving deeper into this mystery. Income fell away, and I spent large swaths of time in nature, meditating, contemplating and taking notes.

In 2014, I created a blog called Living the Mess, and I wrote posts to remind myself of what I’d learned (because being awareness is an ongoing practice).

In 2023, I received an insight that the blog—now a Substack newsletter—needed to be more of a handbook for living in the world we all want to create, a world where everyone belongs and no one is excluded. The Counterintuitive Guide to Life was born.

The name is somewhat tongue-in-cheek. While I have extensive personal experience in the topics I write about, ultimately I’m aware that I don’t know anything.

What I share is rooted in personal experience, supported by emerging science and ancient spiritual traditions… and a sprinkling of pop culture, because prior to my breakdown and wake-up, I spent almost 15 years in the entertainment world.

Take a look around, and if what you read speaks to you, I invite you to subscribe. Everyone is welcome (except trolls, who will be blocked). I commit to keeping all posts free, because so many teachers freely gave their wisdom to me.

If you’re able to financially contribute to my work. I’d greatly appreciate it. And if you’re not, no worries. I’ve been there.

Thank you.

Sarah

Living the Mess manifesto

We humans are an integral part of the fabric of nature.

We share DNA not only with other mammals, but also with insects and even trees.

In nature, what looks like a mess is actually an intricate ecosystem, in which each element, no matter how small, plays a crucial role.

When we experience ourselves as part of the living system of nature, we begin to come home to our wholeness.

Spoiler alert: This mostly requires slowing down and paying deep attention.

We are nature. We are the planet. We are the universe.