It happens to all of us. We get so caught up in all the things we need to do that we forget why we wanted to do them in the first place. There are days when we struggle to get through all the things that need to get done. Sometimes, it’s hard to recognize what was once a dream is now your biggest stress. Are you feeling overwhelmed doing the things that you once thought would bring you happiness?
The only reason we do anything is that we think that doing it, or having it, will make us happier. It is this aspiration for more happiness that provides us with the motivation for greater pursuits. Often, these higher aspirations seem so far out of our reach that we subconsciously believe that this new endeavor has to be difficult. There is an expectation that if we work harder or struggle more somehow we become more deserving to get the things we want. If we aren’t careful, it becomes easy to get consumed by the struggle and the hard work and to lose sight of what we were pursuing in the first place. Often, the anticipation of getting what we want is more exhilarating than the actual attainment of it. I can remember the vision of finally receiving my diploma at my graduation providing me with the motivation and determination that got me through some very stressful times at Chiropractic College. Interestingly, when I did receive my diploma at graduation, it was not nearly as exciting as I had anticipated it to be. Now that I look back at it, going to Chiropractic College was my dream but I can’t honestly say that it was an enjoyable experience. I am a chiropractor and I love my job, but I didn’t really allow myself to enjoy or appreciate the journey while I was pursuing my dream.
Your life is happening now. Indeed, you really are only guaranteed to have right now. I know, better than most, that your life can change in an instant. The things you’re working so hard to achieve, or the things that you’re struggling to move past, are keeping you from enjoying where you are today. When your life seems like a set of hurdles that you must jump through it will inevitably feel like a struggle. But life is supposed to be enjoyable! Every moment we spend focusing on what is difficult or what’s not working is a moment that we are not appreciating our aliveness. Life would be more fulfilling if we were able to enjoy getting to where we wanted to be while still pursuing our goals. We get in our own way when we assume doing things the hard way is the only way to get what we want.
You can get what you want, and you can choose to do it the hard way or the easy way. The easy way means letting go of your resistance to get what you want. Resistance sets in when you allow yourself to believe anything worth getting is going to have to be difficult. For many years, I struggled to get my physical mobility and balance. I knew how hard it would be to walk again without assistance. It wasn’t until recently that I stopped fighting and struggling with my body to have it do what I wanted it to do. I decided that it wasn’t going to be work and that I would appreciate and enjoy any progress that was made. I still had the goal of not needing a cane but was no longer attached to how that was going to manifest. As a result, the progress that I have made in the past year has been tremendous, and it happened so effortlessly one day I realized that I couldn’t even remember the last time that I needed the cane.
Life is meant to be enjoyed. It is important to have goals and aspirations, but don’t miss out on enjoying the life you do have right now.
“Life is all around me.
I can decide if it’s happening to me or in spite of me.
I see that life is what I want it to be because I know that life is happening from within me.”
– Dr. Julie Doobay
Copyright Dr. Julie Doobay 2107
