Lately, I’ve been speaking and writing about ways we can savor a sense of satisfaction in our lives rather than “cranking it out,” or constantly rushing from one thing to the next.
Hit the reset button.
After spending almost two hours working on my taxes last week, I felt cranky and went on a run to reset my energy and clear my head.
While on the run, I started thinking; “Hmm, how the heck can I apply the concept of savoring to mundane drudgery like doing my taxes?!”
It seems hard to savor certain things; root canals, taxes, toe fungus, to name a few.
As I asked myself the question; “How can I switch to a mindset of savoring in relation to my taxes?” the answer suddenly appeared…
Like a turbo tax fairy godmother descending from the sky, my brain produced a wacky image.
I visualized myself in a disorganized, somewhat frenetic state, gathering up all my individual paperwork, and handing this chaotic, messy pile to my accountant Michael, who calmly took all my individual paperwork and easily wrapped it up in a pretty little package, tying it with a red bow and handing it to the federal government.
That image tickled me pink.
It put a huge smile on my face. I felt such a sense of savoring and appreciation for Michael who takes all this disorderly paperwork, magically transmutes it into a parcel with a neat little bow, and kindly hands it off.
My sister and I are also filing our mom’s taxes since she passed away last year, which has been extra complicated. So then I imagined my mom’s accountant taking all her paperwork and putting it in a flat, rectangular box with a pink bow. (don’t ask me why the boxes were different shapes and the bows different colors, Freud would have a field day.)
Again, my heart soared and I felt a huge wave of relief.
Maybe you don’t have the luxury of an accountant and you have to do the heavy lifting yourself. No problem, there’s still a way to shift your mindset; visualize your future self thanking YOU.
How to Make Annoying Tasks Easier to Do:
Close your eyes and imagine your future self thanking your present self for dealing with this annoying task. She or he is so grateful you got this done on time. Receive their words of appreciation, encouragement and support. This will strengthen your willpower and ability to get stuff done, even if you can’t easily savor it.
My simple invitation to you today;
Instead of “cranking it out,” see if you can savor it.
Even the mundane, the drudgery, the annoying parts of your day. Even the toe fungus. (okay, maybe that‘s a stretch)
Can you find a way to savor what you are focused on right now? Or to savor the support you are receiving or the good things that will accrue to you once this discomfort or drudgery is over?
Esther Hicks recently shared;
“I have been deliberately savoring my involvement in things lately. I realized that for much of my life one of the dominant driving factors in my daily experience has been to see how fast I can accomplish something, as if I am always racing against time. I don’t know where or when I picked up this trait along my physical trail—the idea of productivity. Comparing myself to others surely played a part in this. It is really interesting how different projects feel when I am looking for aspects to savor rather than how fast I can get this done! It’s like a whole new approach to life.”
There is always a new and different way of looking at things that can help you feel better.
May your taxes be wrapped in a neat little bow and may your government refund be enormous,
…or if you live outside the U.S., may you find a way to savor the drudgery of life,
Vanessa
P.S. If you haven’t listened to my brand spankin’ new meditation in honor of International Women’s Month – check it out HERE.
As Aja shared;
“Awesome! Empowering! This is a great meditation I will come back to when I need inner strength and a reminder that being a woman is an amazing thing!”
