This week I kept seeing articles in the news and posts on social media about jumping back into our old routines. There was one in particular that had me grumbling. The author (who shall remain anonymous) quoted some longevity and life satisfaction research that I am familiar with then proceeded to state that no one achieved life satisfaction by resting and relaxing. She made it appear that the research supported her point of view. It does not.
Grrrr…..the “hustle mentality”, the story of struggle is one we all know well, unfortunately. There are so many societal reinforcements like ‘no pain no gain’ and having to ‘pay your dues’. Yet when you boil it down, it’s just a story, one we self perpetuate. The energy of this holds us back on so many levels.
I recently started a major project that is very dear to my heart. On the first day, pencils sharp, paper fresh, eager, all kinds of strife and struggle showed up ….. or in reality, I invited it in. I kept trying to push through it and I accomplished nothing, nada, zippo. I was so frustrated.
So the next day I kept asking myself “How can I be in flow?” Just the question was a reminder to relax into the unfolding and let things flow. If something went sideways, a process that didn’t fit or a program that didn’t work, I slowed down, shifted my focus, and looked through a different lens. Less pushing more allowing. Thankfully the day unfolded much more gracefully.
A lot of our struggle is a result of resisting, digging our heels in and letting the hustle mentality drive our activity. Instead of listening to our inner wisdom and doing what feels right to us.
In general we are conditioned to believe that something isn’t valuable if it’s too easy, hence why we discount our unique gifts and talents. The subconscious programming that suffering and struggle leads to salvation has been passed down for ages, each generation adding its own layer. That’s a lot of energetic baggage we’re carrying.
Deep down we know our true state of being is not one of struggle but one of flow. The teaching of Abraham Hicks explains:
“Clarity is your natural state of being. Healthy is your natural state of being. Eager is your natural state of being. Loving is your natural state of being. It is natural for you to have desire, and it is natural for you to anticipate happy outcomes. And it is natural for you to love. It is natural for you to sing. It is natural for you to play. It is natural for you to skip. And it is natural for you to be joyful.”
If you look at it from a very practical view our most inherent talents come very easily to us, so easily in fact many of us discount them. Think about something you do really well, how many times has it surprised you that someone else finds it extraordinary?
What if we choose to allow it to be easy to flow. I can feel the sharp intake of breath, the excuses welling up, and the shoulders tightening along with the glimmer of hope, desire, and wanting.
Next time you feel like you’re struggling pause for a moment and ask yourself, “Why am I saying no to this being easy?” and “How can I allow myself to be in flow?”
It’s a practice I come back to again and again because, well…. it can be easy if I let it and that’s so much more productive than digging my heels in and struggling. Each time you relax into your natural state of being you release some of the energetic baggage that you’re carrying. I’m ready to shed the shackles of the ‘no pain no gain’ hustle mentality, how about you?
As we re-engage with the many activities in our lives that were on pause it seems like a good time to check-in and see what we want to re-engage with, what we want to say no to, and how we might restructure things so that what matters most are the things we spend our time and attention on.
Great things can be created with ease and grace. Relax for a moment and think about it, you deserve ease and grace, after all, it’s the natural state of things. Where are you struggling in your life? Imagine what could happen if there were no struggle. How can you allow it to be easy?