2017 Enjoying what you already have.
In my first newsletter of the year I was inspired by the Taoist principle of Wu Wei, non-doing. January is all about goal setting and for some it means setting the same old tired goals and failing...again. For others it has meant giving up goal setting all together, not out of a sense of freedom from goal setting but from a sense of hopelessness that they will succeed. Rather than feeling trapped or controlled by the January obsession with goal setting, I thought permission not to do anything might be a refreshing change.
The way to do is to be. ~Lao Tzu
However, I kind of dig goal setting, and really dig succeeding at them. So I've set one at home that we're having some fun with and maybe it will give you some ideas or maybe you just want to stick with the Taoists and continue to just BE.
I often seem to be reflecting about how much we have, and in an embarrassment of riches our cupboards are literally overflowing. So for the next month we are eating from the pantry, freezer, can stock etc.
The rules: In the first week, we purchase nothing. I am seriously missing cream, so much that I traded a shrimp ring to a friend hoping she might feel sorry for me and bring me some :)
Next week we have decided that we can have two items each, within reason, one necessity, I chose fruit, my daughter chose milk and my partner chose red bull, seriously... and one non essential item, you can guess I'll be getting cream for my coffee!
We are going to see where we are at after two weeks, if I'm trying to serve hot sauce on dried lentils we may have to re-evaluate. Which brings me to my point.
This goal is fun, this goal achieves something I feel is important, helping my daughter learn the value of food and money, and helps us de-clutter and live more simply. Also, we will re-evaluate this goal as the month goes on, this is something that we often forget to do; is your goal working? Have you already succeeded in a way you feel good about? Perhaps your goal produces no feelings either way and needs to be revamped in order to get some energy behind it.
As a gift to yourself this year, if you do set a goal, set a goal you would feel good about, would bring meaning to your life and most importantly, one at which you will succeed. This is key, once you have succeeded or failed at a goal that sets a temperature and a rhythm for future goal setting.
And again, if you are done with this whole goal thing...
Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. ~Lao Tzu
Happy 2017