Are You Living from Fear or Joy?
By Kathleen Matchunis, B.A., M.S. CPC
What motivates you in life? Are you starting your day thinking of all the negative things which could happen? Even if there are parts of your day which you do not enjoy, it is important to focus on something during the day, which you will enjoy. Choose to focus on something which will put a “spring in your step”.
Living from fear is a life of avoidance. Avoidance is exhausting because you are constantly anticipating what could go wrong in every situation. It also leads to looking for problems which may never happen. Are you waiting for the other shoe to drop? Well, guess what, it may never drop!
Procrastination is a form of fear and self-sabotage. Many people find the first step the most painful but waiting longer to take action can actually be more painful and keep you from feeling joyful.
Living from joy is facing life with a childlike curiosity and excitement. The idea that anything can happen and that “anything” could be better than you ever imagined.
We are often taught that we must organize our day and prioritize, but if we leave no time for spontaneity and joy, we will often miss out. Are you willing to miss out on the joy for the sake of getting more done or just getting to the bottom of your list?
We need to have a balance in our lives which can be elusive at times. Being a goal-oriented person can be a plus professionally, but we must not constantly seek to accomplish our goals and get everything on our priority list done and forsake joy. Balance can be challenging to achieve if you are only results-oriented.
Living from joy can free up energy to be creative at work and in our personal lives. It can also lead to happiness, rather than burnout. Life is an adventure. Don’t miss out on all the good things which can happen if you just change your perspective and reframe.
Whether you are a stay-at-home parent or working in the business world and then coming home to your family, be mindful of the moments of satisfaction and joy that you have during each day. It make take compartmentalizing your day to be able to switch gears to see the joy, but it will be worth the journey.
Original content by Kathleen A. Matchunis, Professional Life & Academic Coach, www.connectinginc.net
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