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PAUSE – 19.03 – Make It Meaningful To You To Make It Matter More

Reflection: I love it when ideas collide and spark a fresh insight. That happened for me this morning as I pondered my Pause message for this week.

The first inspiration came from today’s Dilbert cartoon. Pointy Haired Boss is discussing Asok’s ‘less than ideal’ employee engagement results. Boss counsels Asok that he should show a higher level of irrational enthusiasm for the endless string of thankless tasks – AKA his job. He also suggests that he expects Asok to show an unnatural preference for work over leisure. Don’t you just love that line of thought??

The second inspiration came from a poster quote that appeared in my social media feed. This quote by Francine Jay read, “My goal is no longer to get more done, but rather to have less to do.” I laughed when I read it and immediately forwarded it to a group of friends who share these kind of messages.

As quickly as I had I shared it, I realized it doesn’t quite paint a complete picture.

Creating a satisfying everyday experience isn’t about having less to do. Nor, as Pointy Haired Boss suggests, is it about trying to drum up artificial enthusiasm.

Creating a satisfying everyday experience is less about quantity (more or fewer tasks) and more about quality (contributing to things that hold real meaning).

 

Action: As you look at the tasks that lie in front of you this week, give some thought to how meaningful they are. Sometimes the meaning is obvious. Sometimes we have to dig a bit deeper to find it. And, sometimes there’s not much meaning there at all.

Think about tossing off your list a few of those activities that don’t rank high on meaning. Replace them with others that are a better fit for your needs and interests at this stage of your life, or leave some open space to see what presents itself.

When you’re involved in activities and relationships that hold real meaning for you, you often feel less burdened by the volume of demands. And, more importantly, there’s no need to plaster on a fake smile – to artificially tweak your expressions of engagement. You’re already fully and truly present. It’s apparent in the ways you show up for yourself and others.

 

Quotes Of The Week: Learn to light a candle in the darkest moments of someone’s life. Be the light that helps others see; it is what gives life its deepest significance. – Roy T. Bennett

I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value. – Hermann Hesse

All any of us wanted, really, was to know that we counted. That someone else’s life would not have been as rich without us here. – Jodi Picoult

Not everything that can be counted counts. Not everything that counts can be counted. – William Bruce Cameron

Find a purpose to serve, not a lifestyle to live. – Criss Jami

Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer. – Joseph Campbell

 

Resources Of The Week: This is an interesting article by David Feldman: The Paradoxical Secret to Finding Meaning In Life.

In this Harvard Business Review article, John Coleman shares some excellent ideas for tapping into purpose:  To Find Meaning In Your Work, Change How You Think About It.

 

Readers Write: In response to a recent Pause message, Want Less Stress? Stop Looking For Trouble , Pause readers JF and VE shared similar comments: ‘Your messages always seem to arrive when I am needing them,’ and ‘It’s just the pick-up I need this morning.’ If you missed it, just click the link to check it out. It could be just the message YOU need to read today!

 

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Category:
Appreciation, Life Balance, Life in General, Pause E-zines

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