Do what you love and love what you do. What a great motto to live by! While we may often complain about our jobs or the work we do, we can also find pleasure in our work. In so doing, we are happier, healthier, and will perform better.
In Western culture, we tend to focus on just the body, as it relates to our health; yet, we are more, we are also mind and spirit. An integral part of our health and overall well-being is tied to our spirit or soul. And just as our body must be fueled to function properly, our soul must be well-fed to allow us to thrive. Just as each of our bodies requires a unique diet to meet our individual needs, different things fill our individual souls. We express ourselves through our spirit, which is just as unique as our bodies.
So how can one find fulfillment in what she does, especially when it may not be something that she prefers? Sometimes it’s as simple as appreciating the work that your co-workers do, the people with whom you work (both co-workers and clients), the benefits that the company provides, or the ways in which you have helped to improve someone’s life. Simply focusing on the positive rather than the negative is very liberating. Nonetheless, it is so important for us to find something that truly satisfies us. There’s nothing like being miserable, just waiting for the clock to reach 5:00pm every day so that you can escape the hell! While we may be aware of the emotional stressors, we may not realize just how they can affect our health. Immense stress and anxiety places a toll on our health, especially as it becomes frequent. Such stressors can inhibit the absorption of nutrients, weakening our immune system, which can lead to frequent infections and eventually long-term diseases, aging us prematurely. One can understand how this could contribute to weight retention and weight gain. For those times when you know what to do but still can't figure out why you just can't do it, I urge you to look inward, giving your soul what it is asking of you and expressing yourself through your spirit.
Here’s how you know when you’ve found something that fulfills you: You could do it for hours without feeling tired, sometimes forgetting to eat or drink, because you are so immersed in it, deriving so much pleasure that you don’t need anything else at the moment. Try different things and see what moves you and allows you to express who you truly are, not what you've told yourself you have to be or what others believe you are or should be.
It could be reading, writing, cooking, singing, playing an instrument, drawing, painting, creating something new, sculpturing, tinkering with gadgets, any form of exercise, teaching, mentoring, volunteering, designing clothes, interior designing, building something, remodeling, time with the Divine, the sky’s the limit! There’s no right or wrong answer. Once you’ve found what it is, be sure that you get enough of it on a daily or weekly basis, if possible. You might even consider changing jobs or picking up a second job or volunteering.
When we find pleasure in the simple things and frequently participate in activities and work that we enjoy, we are naturally happy, free, more creative and loving. We can see how we fill our individual purpose in this world, deriving satisfaction from that role, instead of turning to food to fulfill an unmet longing. When you realize how unique you are, you can really love yourself, which is to take care of yourself so that you can serve your purpose. It becomes so much easier to walk away from the donut, not because you “can’t” have it, but because you know how it will make you feel, how it will affect your health, thus preventing you from being the best version of yourself that you were meant to be. So the next time you go to reach for food that is void of nutrients and serves you no purpose, ask yourself what you REALLY want. What will fill that longing, that void in your soul? What will make you smile on the inside?
What fills you? Thinking about trying something new? Share with our community and let us know how it goes! Remember: do what you love and love what you do!