Yesterday was a much-needed time for solitude and introspection. After many consecutive days of appointments and obligations, I cleared my schedule as a day-long retreat from the world. A day that included many cups of tea, many pages written in my journal, and a leisurely solo grocery trip taken at a relaxed pace that allowed me to savor the process of choosing nourishing and wholesome foods for the weekend. Aside from my interactions with the grocery store clerk, I did not speak to another human soul (the dog doesn't count) until greeting my husband upon his return from work. The space and time I created to turn my focus toward my own heart - to hear my own voice amidst the chaos of the outside world - was so restorative. As with yin yang yoga (a stye that tempers active, warming yang poses with passive, cooling yin poses), I felt so beautifully balanced by the yin-paced day at the end of a decidedly yang week.
Today. Waking early, but staying in bed for some doggie and husband cuddling time. Freshly made coffee with coconut milk, scrambled eggs with arugula and herbs. Smiling at the memory of last night's phone call with a best friend across the country, a conversation filled with laughter and plans for the future, spoken in that special shared language of a friendship that has withstood many years and miles. Feeling my energy revived and creativity renewed by yesterday's inner journey. Pulling up my new MacBook Air to engage in some delicious new projects, chief among them a business plan that speaks to a newly discovered career goal.
Perhaps it's the second cup of coffee (a weekend indulgence) or the crispness in the air, but I am feeling so alive and alert. Every fiber of my being is so eager to soak in new possibilities for doing and being.
I have been meditating a lot on something I heard said recently. I'm sure I'm not quoting verbatim, but it was along the lines of this:
"For most of us, the problem is not that we have problems. It's that our problems aren't big enough or worthy enough of our time and energy. If your problems in life are things like an ornery boss or a forgotten utility bill that's now doubled in size or the number of emails in your inbox, look carefully at what you're devoting your life to fixing. Are these the problems worth your life? No. Get a problem that's worth your life. Get a bigger problem."
The idea of getting a bigger problem - one devoting your life to - is sort of an interesting proposition, isn't it? What would be worth devoting your life to? This is the question I'm inspired by as I create new possibilities and new directions for myself this morning. The resistance is there of course. The voice that questions where I would find the time, the money, the resources, and the knowledge, to accomplish such lofty goals. Those, however, are small problems compared to, say, the problem of making the world a healthier, happier place to live. Or teaching people the power of goal-setting to change their lives. Or enabling a more sustainable and innovative private sector.
Take a second and ask yourself. What would be a problem worth having? Worth devoting your life to? What's the bigger purpose you're unable to see or hear through the noise and dust of the smaller problems in your life?
xox
Image via Valorie
2 comments:
Great post. I've actually had this post open in a tab on my browser and have read it a few times since you posted. It's something that has been on my mind lately, even before you posted-- trying to ask myself if I had one thing to devote my life to, what would it be? Thank you for getting me thinking about this again :)
Melanie here! I enjoyed this piece, please email me--I have a question about your blog. MelanieLBowen[at]gmail[dot]com
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