How to love what you do

How can I find what I love to do….  It’s a question I’m often asked.

My answer…    How can you love what you’re already doing?

I’m not just talking about your job here.  How can you love all the moments in your day, even the ‘not so great’ ones.

For a while now I’ve had a bumpy relationship with my mornings.
Its been Love/Not Love  (hate seemed a bit strong).

I want to start my day with love.  When I’m full of energy, the house is bathed in sunlight and I’m with the kids before school.  I want to feel my heart melt when I see their sleepy faces as they wander out in crumpled pyjamas.  I want to chat about what we all have on for the day while we crunch on breakfast cereal.

But it’s not always love.  There’s so much that drives me batty.

The chaos when we’re all in the kitchen, buttering toast, making lunches and tripping over the dog.   The piercing Mummmmmmm!!!!!  that accompanies the endless sibling squabbles, that seem to be over everything and nothing.

The panic rising if I’m distracted by my phone and suddenly notice its late. The disorganised feeling I get that boils my blood in an instant and sends me into a spin.

And the worst of all…  when I’m in a tizz and the kids are ignoring me completely.  Well you can guess how that goes….

So how could I love my mornings more?

I wrote a list of ideas and I tried them.  Some worked, some didn’t. I persisted.

I got up a bit earlier, I put calm music on.  I didn’t text or call anyone, I put my phone away. I packed bags the night before. I let the dog in, I let the dog out. I did dishes, I left dishes. I stopped multitasking.

I talked less and listened more. I paid attention. I sat still. I allowed more time. I dawdled with them.

I paid attention to how I was feeling, when I felt overwhelmed, panicked and what led up to that and I changed it.

I do now love my mornings more.

So… If the love has gone out of something you do, then do it differently.

You may need to quit, you may not.

But find a way to love what you do.  All that you do.

How can you love your work?  Your mornings, afternoons and evenings? Your exercise? Your home life?  Your social life? Your family gatherings? Your weekly meetings?

How can you love what you do?

Instead of suffering on, repeating unhelpful patterns over and over again decide to make a change. The smallest of changes can alter the feeling in any moment.

Pay attention to when you’re unhappy, frustrated, resentful, overwhelmed and ask yourself… What can I do to make this moment better?  How can I enjoy this more?

Can’t find a way, then call it quits and move on.

Get out of the problem and move toward a solution.

It’s up to you to love what you do, and to take the lead in your life.