from Peaceful Living
by Mary Mackenzie
To be successful, the first thing to do is fall in love with your work.
–Sister Mary Lauretta
Day 150: Living in Joy
We all have daily activities that don’t seem fun. Mine are cooking, lighting a fire and cleaning the cat box. For years I grumbled about these things and I could find no joy in them at all, until I started to connect to the needs I was trying to meet with each activity.
Each morning for several months, when I heard my inner critic grumble about cooking, I would say, “I cook because I value nourishment.” When building a fire, I would say, “I’m building this fire because I value sustainability and warmth.” And when cleaning the cat box, I would say to myself, “I am cleaning the cat box because I want my cats to have a happy and clean environment.” Then after each statement, I would ask myself if I still wanted to complete the task.
Some mornings I decided that I could go out for breakfast and the litter could go one more day, or I could put on another layer of clothes instead of making a fire. Each day I connected to the need I was trying to meet, and then I decided whether I wanted to do the activity. It was a simple process that only took a few minutes, and it taught me that I have choices. I don’t have to do anything. I choose to do some tasks because they meet my needs.
By taking the demand out of these tasks and connecting to my needs, I feel more empowered and joyful.
Connect to your values or needs when doing daily tasks today.
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