Reading “In My Own Way” by Alan Watts was an experience that hit me right in the soul. Watts had this way of speaking that just stuck with me, almost like he was whispering a truth I’d always known but never really heard. His words weren’t just words—they were a way of seeing the world that made me stop and really think about how I live my life.
One thing he said that I keep coming back to is, “You are under no obligation to be the same person you were five minutes ago.” It’s simple, but it’s changed how I see myself and my choices. I realized I don’t have to hold on to who I was yesterday or even a moment ago. Life’s always moving, and so can I.
Watts also talked about being fully in the moment, treating life like a game rather than a chore. “This is the real secret of life — to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.” That hit me hard. It’s a reminder to find joy in the everyday, to see life as something to be lived, not just endured.
And then there’s his take on change—how we should just dive into it, move with it, and “join the dance.” It’s like he’s saying, don’t fight the current, just let it take you where you need to go. I’ve found a lot of peace in that idea, a kind of acceptance that life’s going to happen, whether I’m ready for it or not.
One of the most powerful things Watts said was, “You are an aperture through which the universe is looking at and exploring itself.” It’s a big thought, but it feels so true. We’re all part of something much bigger, something beyond just our day-to-day lives. And that’s comforting, knowing that we’re all connected in this vast, mysterious way.
At the end of the day, Watts leaves us with this simple but deep question: “Would you dream the dream of life that you are living today?” It makes me pause and really think about the life I’m creating. Am I living in a way that I’d want to keep on dreaming? It’s a question that keeps me grounded, keeps me honest with myself.
Reading Alan Watts isn’t about understanding everything he says—half the time, it doesn’t even make sense in a logical way. But that’s the beauty of it. It’s about feeling something deeper, about accepting that there’s more to life than what we see on the surface. His voice stays with me, guiding me to live a little more freely, a little more fully, and with a whole lot more heart.