It's An Inside Job

You know, I see people walking around and talking on their cell phones, or texting, or multitasking, or a variety of other things and I realize that I'm old enough to remember when we didn't have these distractions. Now, don't get me wrong, I like talking and texting and doing lots of things at once as much as the next person. But, I think it's important to remember that as much as we need to stay in touch with others, it's even more important to stay in touch with ourselves. And, the only way to do that is to cut down on the distractions from time to time.

I remember the days when I would just take a nice walk or a run by myself. No other people, no phones to talk on while running, no earphones--just me and the pavement. You can get a lot of reflection done during those times. I'm not criticizing anyone for anything they are doing in this complex, busy world we live in. But, we also seem to be losing track of ourselves. We don't take the time to know what's going on inside of ourselves. And, as a result, some of us feel sad, or overeat, or want to sleep all the time, or use substances to make ourselves feel better, when all we need to do is cut down on the distractions and remember that happiness and a sense of well being are an inside job.

Do you know who you are? Do you know what brings you joy? Have you ever even felt joy? If you haven't, try taking a little time just for yourself, by yourself. Reflect on those things you really like to do and do them more often.

If you don't know what you like to do and what would bring you peace and fulfillment, try this simple exercise. Think about what others praise you for. What do people tell you they like about you? What do they say they wish they could do that you can do? Often, these are things that we don't see as special because we do them so easily. I know someone who is an amazing card maker, but she sees it as something anyone can do. Or, how about the person who has an eye for color and knows exactly how a room should come together for the best effect. Or the guy who writes songs effortlessly and thinks it's no big deal, anyone can do it.

What are your "no big deals"? Probably those are the things that give you the most joy. Once you figure out what they are, make time to do them more often. Find a way to build them into your busy day. If you can do this, you will feel more happiness and open the way for learning other new things about yourself that bring you joy.

Living well in the world is definitely an inside job.

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