What's the point if you don't enjoy it?

Are you happy with where you are? Do you look forward to each morning, ready to tackle the day; or, do you dread getting up because you know what kind of hell you are in for?

“Most of the time we feel tired not because we’ve done too much, but because we’ve done too little of what makes us come alive.” - Jim Kwik

Whenever I come across this quote it sends me to a place in my mind that is kind of uncomfortable; a place that prompts some serious introspection as well as a time to take inventory and ask a few questions.

· What are the things that are enjoyable?

· What are things that are emotionally draining?

· Who are those that are filling the bucket?

· Who are those that are draining the bucket?

By in large we are creatures of habit. While this is good in ways that have us moving more regularly, eating less processed and better quality foods, and getting better sleep. There is also the flipside where the not-so-good ways live; where the things that are no longer enjoyable and where the people who suck the life out of you hang out. If things are feeling off, or you’re finding yourself constantly feeling drained it may be time to have the hard conversation with yourself. It’s time where we should recognize the signs that what you are doing or who you are hanging around may be causing more harm than good. In the end what we are really seeking are the things that light our fire, the people who challenge us to become better, as well as, are conducive to personal growth. If you’re not finding that it may be time to get out of the comfy bubble and see what else is out there.

Now, before you quit your job of twenty years, sell the house, and move to Tennessee to “find yourself and your new people” take a deep breath. Let’s consider the possibility that you may just be in a bit of a rut, things have become a bit stagnate and you just need a new challenge. Maybe instead of packing it all in and heading away, you look at something you had done in the past that was enjoyable, maybe you reconnect with an old classmate from college, or you take a class and learn something new. Who knows, you may make new connections and pick up a new hobby that interests you. When we confine ourselves to only what we know, we create limits and barriers to new experiences, some of which could be the ones that break us out of the monotonous rat-race we find ourselves in.

Every once in a while it should be okay to take a chance, to go do something that you would not normally do. Sometimes engaging in conversation with a random person can yield an amazing future experience. While we do not want to completely throw caution to the wind, (there are a plethora of weirdos out there) we can sometimes stretch our comfort zone enough to learn something interesting.

The moral of the story is we want to avoid stagnation. Sometimes it’s good to try something new, or go somewhere you have never gone before. There is this great big world out there and too often we confine ourselves to only what we know and where we are most comfortable. Try a new fitness class, hop in the car and drive somewhere you’ve never been. Like we said earlier, get out of your bubble and see what else is out there.