If you are struggling to find joy in your current job or activity, here is a piece of advice that I have adopted for myself that has completely revolutionized my way of thinking!
It took me a while to accept this idea because of my stubbornness, but once it became part of my thinking, I now see things so differently.
Is your occupation, or the activity you've committed yourself to boring and unfulfilling?
Do you feel dread every time you think about it and a sense of disdain when you're doing whatever that is?
Let me help you with something that has helped me.
This advice may sound simple and you might even get frustrated with me because you would love for someone to tell you to quit that thing you dislike doing.
Nope. I will not tell you to quit, unless it's affecting your safety, health or well-being, or the lives of your family. However, there are plenty of things we do and dislike that don't negatively affect our lives or the lives of our loved ones.
So, with that said, do you want to be doing what you love in life?
Do you want to wake up every morning with anticipation and excitement that you get to do what you enjoy doing, instead of this mundane, boring, sucky job???
Here's the secret...
Find a way to love what you're doing until you're doing what you love.
I know, I know. You want so badly to get out of that obligation you obligated yourself to, or to pass it along to some other poor soul, but that my friend is not the answer!
The answer to your dilemma is to find joy and peace within yourself, no matter what is going on around you. The challenge is to be at peace internally, regardless of the circumstances in life and to stop resisting what we don't like.
For instance. How many stories have we heard of couples trying to have a baby who tried everything from timing ovulation, infertility medicine, tracking cycles? They don't want another month of infertility, so they work extremely hard to make sure the next month is a success. Then eventually they find that when they stopped trying so hard, they finally conceived and had a baby?
Many times it's our internal striving to change things that cause forward motion to stop. That resistance inside of you says, "If I focus my efforts on resisting what I don't want, then maybe I'll get what I want."
As a result, you exhaust yourself by "swimming upstream" in life in order to reach your goal instead of surrendering to the current and allowing love to guide you into the goodness you desire.
We hinder our own happiness.
The more you resist something, the more it is going to persist.
I understand this may seem far-fetched, but I've seen this work in my own life. The things I have disdain for are usually what shows up more in my life. But the things I have released and surrendered in love, they seem to work out for my favor.
In our culture, we learn to fight the things we don't want. If 2020 has shown us anything it is that there has been fighting on all sides, on all kinds of issues, because people don't want... (fill in the blank).
With resistance, we just have more of the same. With fighting comes more fighting. With tension comes more tension. With lies come more lies.
With fear comes more fear. With resistance comes more resistance and it even shows up at the top, where our leadership governs.
I love this quote by Mother Teresa...
“I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there”
There will always be something we don't like, but what are we changing if we're always talking about and thinking about what we don't like???
What if we only brought attention to what we did like?
What if we approached life from the perspective of finding joy and gratitude in everything, instead of picking apart the things we hate?
What if we had a "pro" perspective on the whole of life?
Instead of internally resisting our jobs, or some aspect of our lives, could there be something you like about it?
Maybe during your lunch hour, you look forward to hanging out with an friend that makes you laugh, or maybe you can read a great book, or watch an inspiring YouTube video from your smartphone.
Maybe while you're at your desk, or station, you have your favorite playlist of peaceful tunes playing at low volume from your phone. If you're allowed to have your favorite candle, be grateful for that candle and it's beautiful scent to get you through the day.
If it's chores you dread at home, think about how you'll feel when they're done. Clean every room and light a candle in each room to invite a peaceful, warm atmosphere.
Think about making your home a peaceful and clean place for you and your family. How would a clean home feel to you?
Enjoy the process instead of complaining and procrastinating. Put on an audio book, some rock music, or whatever you like. You could even listen to your favorite Christmas music right now!
Find a way to love what you're doing until you're doing what you love!
Challenge yourself in your free time to set goals that will move you toward your dreams. Write them down and look at them throughout your day to keep you inspired and motivated!
Start making the best of every situation and surrender to love the things you feel disdain for. Free yourself from a negative mindset. When you feel disdain for something, say to yourself...
"I am grateful that I see my heart in this situation. I surrender these feelings to love and I receive all the good that is for me today."
Take your life to the next level starting today and give yourself no room for excuses! You can do this!
Love and hugs to you, always!
Love,
Charity