I heard a radio commercial the other day that got my attention.
I remember little about the product they were advertising, other than it had something to do with RVs, but I do remember one line: Do you look forward more to starting your day, or to ending it?
I think this is one of those really simple things we can use to determine whether or not we are aligned with our life’s purpose. Do you wake up in the morning with lots of energy, rearing to go, or do you have to drag yourself out of bed? Are you sad at the end of the day because you’re out of time, or grateful that the day is finally over?
Our Useless Pursuit of Energy
We hear a lot these days about what we need to do to have more energy. According to recent surveys, America is a nation of worn-out individuals who are groggy at work and need stimulants like caffeine and sugar to make it through the day.
If only we would lose weight, sleep longer, exercise more, eat vegetables, find a better mattress, meditate, volunteer, attract the perfect mate, avoid potato chips, and adopt a dog, then we would wake up without needing a gallon of coffee to get going.
Problem is, all the well-meaning organizations telling us these things have it backwards. None of this advice does us any good if we don’t have a strong desire to start the day.
Desire is the spark that makes us want to exercise, eat right, and volunteer. And that desire comes from doing what we’re passionate about.
Are You Pursuing Your Dreams?
“If tomorrow morning by some stroke of magic,” writes Steven Pressfield, “every dazed and benighted soul woke up with the power to take the first step toward pursuing his or her dreams, every shrink in the directory would be out of business. Prisons would stand empty. The alcohol and tobacco industries would collapse, along with the junk food, cosmetic surgery, and infotainment businesses, not to mention pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and the medical profession from top to bottom.”
Notice he didn’t say that we have to dump everything else in our lives to pursue our dreams. Rather, all we need to do is take that first step. Then another. And so on, in a gradual progression, doing just a little bit every day.
You know how financial experts tell you to pay yourself first when you get a paycheck? The idea is to put a little bit away before you spend it. It’s a tried-and-true method of building up your savings.
I’ve found that when I take the same approach to my dreams—a little time at the beginning of each day—my energy soars. It’s like contributing to an energy account. Even thirty minutes spent on something I’m passionate about can make the difference between a good day and a bad day, and can get me looking forward to the next morning.
Clues You Need to Shift Gears
There have been many days when I’ve been more eager to see the end of the day than the beginning. But that was always when I was putting myself last.
Work, household chores, and community responsibilities, when they take on more importance than my own dreams, soon manage to whittle me down into a grouchy, begrudging grunt going about the day like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.
“When you feel enthusiasm to do something,” write authors Esther and Jerry Hicks, “it means you’ve lined up the Energy, and you are being inspired to take action from that point of alignment. When you don’t feel like doing it, don’t push yourself, because your effort is not worth it. But, when you line up the Energy, the feeling of procrastination goes away.”
Yes, you have a lot of responsibilities and things to do in life. But you can carve out 30 minutes to devote to that one thing you’ve always wanted to do.
Make it happen, and watch your energy levels soar.
Ready to get going on your day?