From Lucy’s albumDear Friends
Here’s a little note I made in my journal the other day:
Sometimes, even though you want a certain thing, you will direct your energy into what you don’t want simply because it appears to you to be easier or more convenient.
For e.g. I wanted to turn the page on my calendar on the wall following my meditation.
It happened that my laptop was right beside me and when I looked at it, I got distracted. At that moment, it just seemed easier to reach for it and do some work on it when what I really wanted to do was get up, turn the calendar page and make myself a cup of warm milk and honey.
But the laptop was there…
Fortunately, because I was vigilant, I recognized what was happening. So, I got up, turned the page and made myself my cup of warm milk and honey. Then, I sat down and continued to work on my laptop.
Why was this seemingly trivial event noteworthy?
Because it was a typical example of how, often through force of habit, we disregard, dishonor or dismiss what we really want to do and instead do what we think is ‘necessary’, ‘appropriate’ or just convenient.
Now, most of us are likely to hear alarm bells at what I’ve just said there.
After all, our rational mind argues, there are things that must be done. If we only ever did what we wanted to do and not what we should do, it would create problems down the track, bringing chaos to a world that we are striving to keep in order.
“I must pay my bills. I must do the dishes. I must clean and vacuum. I must go to work. I must call mum. I must brush my teeth. I must drink enough water. I must, I must, I must….”
We have mental categories of ‘Must Do’s’ and ‘Would be nice to’s’ and there is an ongoing tension between the two. The result is we often do what we feel we must do reluctantly, begrudgingly, half-heartedly and with nearly nowhere the degree of passion and joy that we so want to feel.
Over time, these ‘Must Do’s’ rob us of our natural enthusiasm and creativity. Even if the ‘Must Do’s’ are not really ‘Must Do’s’ but more ‘Convenient things to do’, as it was in the incident I described, they still have the same effect of robbing us of joyous living. Put another way, they reflect blocks that we have placed in the natural flow of life energy.
What am I saying here?
That we shouldn’t do the things that we know we must?
Sounds like it, doesn’t it?
But, no, that’s not what I am saying.
Well, what then?
Here it is: It’s important that we try to do what we ‘Must Do’ with an attitude that allows rather than blocks the natural flow of our life energy.
Sometimes that means doing what we already have an ‘allowing attitude’ for first and letting that ‘flow’ continue into the things that we ‘Must Do’.
There are countless benefits in doing this. Not only have we avoided placing blocks in the natural flow of our life energy by approaching our ‘Must Do’s’ with the energy of resentment, struggle or effort, but the ‘flow’ also allows our creative and intuitive instincts to express themselves, often to great effect!
Consequently, we’re likely to handle the ‘Must Do’s’ with ease and joy and we’re likely to be more creative in our ‘work’.
Over time, the difference or contrast between ‘Must Do’s’ and ‘Want to Do’s’ diminishes because we have not denied ourselves or held off our natural predisposition towards joyous experiences.
The result?
More going with the ‘flow’ of our natural life energy rather than placing blocks in its way.
Try it!
Blessings,
Lucy Lopez
Awakening to Happiness!
