I like to think of myself as an efficient person. Once I’ve done something a few times, my mind naturally works out ways to streamline the process and get it done better and faster. Maybe most people are like this?
Somewhere along the way I have somehow developed an urgency to getting things done quickly. But, I don’t know why. Is it so I can sit around and do nothing or watch Netflix? Or, so I can do even more stuff?
Well, that mode of being can suck an elf (this is a The Tenth Kingdom book reference and not intended to be as inappropriate as it sounds – I think).
I remember when I became a raw foodist and making meals took a lot of preparation. Some things needed to soak for a while. I might have to dehydrate a snack for a day or two. I felt like I was washing dishes constantly. However, I did it all with a smile because I knew I was making choices that were going to benefit my health. It felt great. I’ve definitely lost some of that patience over the past decade.
I notice that sometimes I am annoyed at having to do mundane tasks. When I notice the annoyance, I instantly stop in my tracks and poke myself in the chest, and say, “Hey, girl… Don’t you love being able to live this life? Aren’t you grateful for the opportunity to be of service to yourself and others?” I always say yes, even if it might come off a little whiny. “Well, get it on with it.”
The thing is that there is joy in toil. I feel like we’ve been trained to think getting to a place where you can relax and do “nothing” is the goal. And, rest is necessary and I’m not trying to say that people should be work-a-holics by any means.
What I am saying is that we should slow down, be present, and enjoy all the things of life – even if they aren’t things that we particularly want to do.
I don’t want to tell anyone else what to do, of course, but that is what I am working at.
I can’t say I love cleaning the house, but I love that I have a house and that it is easily manageable for me. I don’t always love cooking whole food meals (often lots of steps and lots of dishes to wash), but I love feeling that what we are eating is nourishing us better than eating out.
I’m always surprised when I round a bend in my spiral upwards and realize that I was not quite as advanced as I thought I was (I really shouldn’t be surprised, though).
I think of it like changing the algorithm of my non-digital life. As I move forward and shift my awareness, new things show up in my life in the same way that new things show up in my social media feeds these days (though I try not to spend much time there).
I expect things to get more and more interesting. 😊