Finding Joy in the Process

The work I've been doing lately is focused on my thoughts. Being specific and positive with affirmations, adopting an attitude of gratitude, looking to nature to connect with beauty and joy.

And then I get a project to work on - one that requires some planning. Perhaps it's learning a new skill (or reviving an old one). I feel myself deflate, and the energy/motivation seems to tank, in turn. It's not a lack of gratitude, but hard work seems to take the fun out of things for me.

That's where I start adjusting. It's work, but is it hard? Maybe it's not hard, but simply requires dedication and diligence. 

On the other hand, maybe it is hard. Maybe it's really hard. Then I think of the challenge as an investment in myself. Is it worth the hard work for the potential end result? Is it even what I want? How important is it to me, and what's the level of priority for the thing in my life right now? 

If something takes time, or if it's a longer-term project, or if it's entirely new to me, I start to slow down. After all, what's my rush? Taking my time - really taking *my* time - going truly at my own pace, even if it's a snail's crawl - gives me space to invite in the joy. 

It's a joy and a gift to learn something new. It's a joy to feel accomplished after completing a task that I wasn't initially jazzed about. Sometimes, the work is what the joy comes wrapped in - as I ease into the flow of the work, it becomes fun and light because I took the pressure off of getting things done quickly. The idea of slowing down is nothing new, although I need to be reminded all the time in this fast-paced society. But it's the ground I stand on whenever things are important, or feel challenging.

It's paradoxical - I can't slow down time, but I can slow myself down to create more time. How does that even make sense? Does it need to?

When I slow down, my experience of time seems to stretch. It takes longer for the seconds to tick away than usual. Conversely, when I'm rushing, time seems to speed up and slip away even more quickly.

Slowing down and shifting my perspective brings me to a feeling of joy in times where I wouldn't normally feel it. The reminder that I'm alive, have (relatively) free agency, and am a creative spirit, is what allows me to feel the joy flowing fully, fueling my energy, my creativity, and my high vibration.

Is there a time you moved from feelings of 'Oh no' to 'Oh yes'? Feel free to comment below.

If you have trouble finding joy in the everyday, I invite you to reach out and schedule a session to shift those blocks and allow the joy to flow through you every step of the way.