Yes, as the motivational speakers like to say, we truly are human beings and not human doings. You wouldn't know that or stay mindful of what that beings from the information we are deluged with on the Internet and everywhere else on productivity, personal development and schedules for it, getting things done, becoming an entrepreneur, doing it, just do it, what we should with any free time, and the whole "Be All You Can Be" themes of the writing, speakers and culture. Let's not forget the emphasis in these medium on how to make more money. That must be the hottest ticket on the auction markets for keywords.
Why can't we be enough just as we are for a minute? Aren't I good enough as I am? Why does everyone want to convince me that I'm lacking, a slacker and a bum if I just want enjoy who I am today and what I do? Who do we have to be and what do we have to do to be loved, which is really all we want? Can even God love me as I am?
Here are the top 50 productivity blogs for those of you who are human doings. It wears you out just to read the titles of the articles: "Five Ridiculous Reasons You're A Couch Potato," (being tired and wanting to rest is no excuse) (Dumb Little Man); "Top Ten Reasons to Upgrade Your Daily Routine, " (Lifehacker), "Tying to Pursue Too Many Goals At Once," (Lifehacker); "Thinking Only in the Short Term Halts Your Ability to Pursue Multiple Goals," (I feel another stern lecture coming on. Lifehacker); "Putting First Things First," (Get Rich Slowly. Are you surprised to learn that "first things" aren't developing more compassion, peace, your life's purpose, or anything that can't be measured, seen and touched. No, things mentioned as coming first are investing as you can as early as possible for retirement, building an emergency fund ASAP, paying your bills as they arrive, being fit and following a fitness program and eating a good breakfast.)
Oh there's so many more it makes me tired just to read the titles. Why do we have to spend every free moment improving ourselves by making more money, working out, losing weight even if we aren't obese, building a platform, having good branding, on and on. It never lets up.
Is it any wonder that there are so many unhappy frustrated people not getting enough rest or sleep who are driving themselves to early strokes and heart attacks because they cannot believe that they are enough as they are?
The ego is driven. The ego hates rest and tells you why you should pull another all-nighter on a work night. The ego wants more money, fame, glamour, beautiful sex partners, and self-importance. It wants you to make out that damn daily schedule where you write down what time you expect to be brushing your teeth at night and eating meals at six o'clock exactly, and making sure every free minute is scheduled for productivity and self-improvement.
What do you want? What does your higher consciousness want for your inner life? What are your values, intentions and beliefs, and let's knock off goal setting for one day. I don't want to learn more efficient ways to multi-task. I have ADD and barely get things finished as it is.
Don't I get a break at for what I have accomplished? Doesn't any of the accomplishments we already have count for something? Maybe only on LinkedIn and our resumes. Some of us have had to overcome some major obstacles in our life such as alcoholism, addiction, mental or physical illnesses, losing loved ones, losing custody of our children, being homeless, being poor, being unemployed for long periods--just plain playing the cards we were given. Don't these people get to rest on their laurels just a little bit? Put that whip down please. I never joined the Marines. I don't want to go to boot camps of any variety. My goals have subgoals and I work towards them everyday.
I don't know about you, but as a result of all the mental conditioning to be more and do more and get more done, I don't let myself slow down for a minute. I have too much to do to take the time to visit a friend or even call one. Too much to do to read all the interesting information that drifts to my browser, but I really wish I could stop and read that. I have too much to do to be bothered with taking walks, nature, meditation, cleaning and organizing, being compassionate to all, asking to know God's will for me...
Is God's will for me to go to grad school? I hope not even if I can help others more with an advanced degree because it's more of too much to do. I am already or planning to work on improving myself by learning French, Web design, digital photography, publishing my two novels, writing e-books, submitting mindful articles to major publications or at least getting the nerve up to query some of them, grant writing, start a grant writing business, start a nonprofit and mange it, find a solution and work towards using it on problems like homelessness, poverty, injustice of any kind, illiteracy, legal rights for only those who can afford them, Big Pharm's latest assaults, the artificial interference with our food, pesticide loading on fruits and vegetables, and more every day.
What is my soul's mission and what was I put here on this Earth to do? I hope it has nothing to do with Pilates, running, not eating cookies, shopping at Aldi's instead of health food grocery stores, being frugal till it hurts, having a brand and a platform, owning a second home for retirement, building anything with wood, bricks or paint, or reading more teeny tiny print and government publications. I hope my soul's mission is to be joyous, learn, help, give, appreciate, develop and use my talents for the benefit of others not just me, provide humor and beauty to my small patch of the world, be a good role model for my children and others, listen to people with concerns and problems, and things of that nature. Mostly I think I am here to love: myself and my neighbor and everyone in the world.
The Dalai Lama says we are here to find joy and be joyous. I can go along with that. It is the result of loving and giving. I wasn't born with a soul and consciousness that are only meant for tangible accomplishments that result in getting more done, making more money or being successful in the business world.
I am enough. I am enough right now, today, and I am worthy of love as I am. I am enough in what I have accomplished and persevered to do, and it's good I have dreams and plan to continue to contribute in a lot of different ways, but I need to make sure that I am not blocking today's self-acceptance on what I have yet to do to win approval by the world's standards. It's good to slow down to be attentive to the still, small voice within, and to pay attention to the synchronicity that delights with miraculous wonders and is always on time.
I think that for now I will just row, row, row my boat and be mindful that life is but a dream. It is not a competition or a race. There's no prize for who gets there first, wherever "there" is. I will live in the eternal now or keep trying.
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