"I'll get started after breakfast." "Aaarrrgh! This project is going to be such a pain." "I am never going to finish." Insert excuse here. Although they weigh nothing, thoughts demand energy. How much energy are you spending fighting with yourself? The form loomed largely from the table, its menacing presence shrinking my soul with each tick of the clock. Finally, I picked up my pen and began writing. It did not take the forty-five minutes allotted, and it was not difficult to complete. I had built it up like a mountain in my head when it was only a bump in the road.
I am guilty of shiny object syndrome. Hmmm, I tend to judge myself quite a bit in my language; why is that? I have had past conversations where I felt irresistibly drawn to a shiny pen that rendered me incapable of speech as I admired the beauty of the glimmering colors. Being disciplined can seem a chore, but the good news is that it is a mindset. Mundane tasks are necessary but not sexy. Everyone wants the beautifully plated meal without the drudgery of chopping vegetables and washing up afterward.
Do you have a vision? How we think about a task can color our mood. If I view cooking as a chore, it will be. If I consider cooking an act of love to provide sustenance, it can be a joyful time. Your mood can sound the alarm that you need to rest or renew. The light shines brightest in the dark where there is contrast. Is your light dimmed? Perhaps you need to turn it off and recharge.
What's next? How do you stop the constant drain of unproductive thoughts? You want to break free but are your own worst enemy. Thoughts run on auto-pilot to save time. If you have programmed yourself for misery and despair, you will expend energy resisting what you "have" to do. You wake up and groan, "Ugh, I need to go to work." Your to-do list seems never-ending. Speaking of to-do lists, my list from last week ended up being twenty-four items, and I only have four left to go! Instead of fighting, I rolled up my sleeves and started doing building up momentum. If you need some insight into your to-do list, drop me a line.
Namaste
