Daily Inspiration 8-7-17

"We don't see things as they are;

we see things as we are."

-- Anais Nin

[Classic post from 11-12-11]

This last installment on the theme of thought versus effort comes down to one short little word: Why. Frederich Nietzsche said, "He who has a big enough why to live for can bear almost any how." Dr. Viktor Frankl backs that up as well in the form of meaning in his book, Man's Search For Meaning.

We had a lady next door who has since moved away who loved to iron. I'm serious. She loved to iron clothes. I never met anyone who actually loved to iron clothes until I met her. To many if not most, ironing is drudgery, hard work, tedious. So it was just a different thought that changed a tedious, hard job into an absolute joy.

Ever notice when you're doing something out of obligation or duty and you seriously don't want to be there or be doing that thing or event, that the day just goes into slow motion and the clock takes forever to move and your body feels like it weighs a lot more than it did yesterday, and well. . . it's work and it's very unpleasant.

Then, something happens that gets your interest. Who knows what it is, but all of a sudden, it's not so bad, then as time goes on, maybe it's even better than this and you begin to enjoy yourself and it changes everything. You just lost a bunch of weight in the last few minutes, your droopy face has spark and light, and the only thing that happened was a thought change. Something changed the thought and the thought you had was controlling how you were feeling. And, it can change in a moment.

When I was working for others, I liked what I did, but more often than I would have liked there was crap I had to deal with that was unpleasant and undesired. I did it because I had to and felt crappy about it the whole time. Now, as my own boss, I have lots of problems to deal with, but they aren't really problems and I don't have a problem dealing with them. In fact, I often seriously enjoy solving them. It's just a change in attitude or thought. Before I had to, didn't want to and now I want to and am glad to solve it. Big difference, but just a difference in thought.

But, you don't have to go into business for yourself to have that change in thought or attitude. Begin where you are with what you have to work with and turn it from work into fun. Begin by finding one thing about what you do today to appreciate, and then appreciate it, love it, praise it. Next, find another and another and another and pretty soon you'll be loving your job and what you do and everything about it.

In my opinion, the way to change anything toward more positive feelings is to learn to appreciate--sincerely appreciate something, anything, and then continue to repeat that process and you will see miraculous changes. I'm beginning to think that the key to life, in general, is learning to appreciate everything--you, your life, your body, your personality, your family, your boss, the place you live, the neighborhood you live in, the place you go to church, the neighbors, the government, and so much more.

I think I can get to the point that I am just a lover, appreciating everything, including the contrast that allows me to choose appreciation.


Effort Is No Longer Any Kind Of Work. It Is A Natural Extension Of My Thoughts Of Appreciation.

Spread Some Joy Today--There is nothing that is external that will bring you joy. It is 100% an inside job.