I read a great post by Ellen Gerst yesterday where she mentioned something Abraham Hicks had written, saying “hard work is not the path to well being”, and that “feeling good” IS.
I have another perspective on that concept!
I remember in the depths of my grief, when nothing seemed to help, having the thought to tackle a huge task – something really daunting. I remember getting on my old jeans and a sweatshirt, grabbing the shovel and trudging up the hill to our garden. I started digging at the biggest weeds with the deepest roots – weeds that had completely invaded our long-neglected garden. With each push of the shovel, I felt my anger dissipating, and by the time I’d been at it for about an hour, a portion of the garden looked reclaimed – and I felt my soul had been, too. I was no longer so deep in my sorrow.
I also felt more inclined to tackle the little daily tasks that I’d been putting off. Looking out the window and seeing that cleared space in the garden lifted my spirits, and made me think, “I CAN do this!”
Proverbs 10:16 tells us “The labour of the righteous tendeth to life…” and I felt that. I felt more alive – and more willing to live – after that hard work.
Ecclesiastes 5:12 teaches us that “the sleep of a labouring man is sweet…” and I experienced that, too. Physical exhaustion brought on a deep sleep that night that had become foreign to me in my grief.
In the same post, I read this sentence:
“When you feel good about yourself and your circumstances, you naturally become more productive.”
I found that day in the garden that the converse is also true: when you are productive, you naturally feel better about yourself and your circumstances.
The two contrasting perspectives can create an upward spiral. So whatever you need to do today – whether it be on the ‘tackle-a-hard-thing’ side of the spiral, or a ‘recognize-the-greatness-within-you’ side, do it!
Then you’ll surely be on the path to well-being.
Find hope after loss 