Tricky Question Isn’t It?
A part of me feels peace/happiness in wanting something. The part of me that feels good about taking care of myself, expanding, growing, improving. This is a valid part of life.
But a part of me feels stress when I want something. The part of me that’s impatient, not enough, desperate.
Both parts of me exist. So I feel a mix of happiness and discontent when I want something.
Is There A Way To Remove The Stressful Part of Wanting?
For me, there is.
For me, the stressful part of wanting is that slightly desperate part that sours the other more innocent side of wanting.
So I question that desperate part.
I question, “I want it, is that true?” and when I go through the four questions and turnarounds of The Work, I often find that “I don’t want it” is just as true.
There’s A Balance Then
A balance between wanting and not wanting. Then both are equal to me. And that removes any grain of desperation from the wanting, because I’m just as fine without it.
Then I’m free to want what I want and build my life as I like, but without the pressure of wanting it in a desperate kind of way.
Without any shadow of desperation, wanting is pure joy.
And I Find This Extends To Almost Anything
There is a balance between opposing thoughts. And in that balance is where I find my peace.
Can you want without wanting? Can you do without doing? Can you take sides without taking sides? Can you be in pain without being in pain? Can you win without winning?
Can you be serious without being serious? Can you reject without rejecting? Can you be superficial without being superficial? Can you be bummed without being bummed?
Can you be generous without being generous? Can you be excited without being excited? Can you play the game without playing the game?
If You Can’t, What’s Stopping You?
What thoughts and beliefs are making you take everything so seriously? Question them and set yourself free.
Have a great week,
Todd
“There’s a natural balance in things. If you go too far to one extreme, life kindly brings you back toward the center. What goes up must come down, and what comes down must go up. Up and down are different aspects of the same thing.” Byron Katie, A Thousand Names For Joy
Want to get these articles delivered to your inbox every week? Subscribe to the newsletter here.
