Do you do what you love?
Doing what you love is like a nutrient.
You don't need to do it all the time, and seeking to always do what you love can be a trap that keeps you from building the support for doing what you love. I know that sounds a little circular, well, that's why it can be a trap.
But the other trap can be putting off doing what you love until you've gotten your work done. High achievers can put caring for themselves last, and limit their potential by doing so. They can get lost in boom and bust cycles, because they aren't supporting themselves with what they need. Doing things you love, simply for the sake of doing them, is part of caring for yourself.
I default into prioritizing work before pleasure, I can prioritize progress to my detriment. Actually it's kind of addictive, because I do get a lot out of creating and getting things done. However, I used to deplete myself and go through periods of illness or burnout where I couldn't stomach my work. Because I wasn't doing what I loved I had a harder time loving the things about my work that were difficult and challenging, I would lose my inspiration.
We each find a unique mix but when I start to loose motivation and my mood shifts towards negativity, I know that it's time to change the mix. I know that I need to discipline that part of me that has gone a bit manic, singularly focused on progress.
Taking time to do what I love comes through discipline and commitment, and somehow it's harder when it is in support myself rather than others. I used to use the metaphor of being an Olympic contender, they can't perform well unless they have extreme self-care. And with extreme self-care they can do amazing things.
Extreme self-care includes:
- What you love.
- What makes your body thrive.
- What inspires you.
- What opens your mind to creative leaps.
- What gives you a sense of adventure (another nutrient).
If you were to commit to extreme self care, just for this week, what would you do differently?
Is this principle relevant in your life? How so?
