Things take time - and energy.

My (re)learning for the day. 

Our goals are noble and lofty. And our minds are powerful tools. But we only have so much bandwidth. Even though in our head the plan is a logical flow of n simple action items, each action item is a process in itself with so many variables, and even the simplest of actions TAKE TIME. Going with the flow does not mean inaction. It means that accepting the natural course of events as response to our actions. 

The other currency we use freely is energy. There is a certain amount of resistance by way of inertia - overcoming that takes energy as well as time. Mental processing takes energy. When we ignore that and demand more of ourselves, sure, we scramble and deliver but at the cost of long-term energy reserves, that feeds into our health. 

Slow and steady doesn't just win the race. It also keeps us healthy. It helps us enjoy the journey more. Whatever be your contribution to this world by way of your work, it is not as important as your contribution to your own life by being in the present, living on the vertical axis, digging deep into every moment. 

Because truly, as Swami Vivekananda says, even if you are in a mountain cave in the Himalayas and you've had a breakthrough, your thought can impact the world. You don't have to run in mad circles to make change. The important thing is to have the breakthrough first - and worry about changing others later.

Sure, you have a plan. But remember, it is not a corporate KP for the year that you've to push yourselves for. 

Strangely much as we hate the corporate mess, we all inadvertently fall prey to Stockholm Syndrome, and even as we break free, we carry the chains in our mind. We become our own toxic boss, setting crazy milestones, sabotaging, disparaging, humiliating and constantly driving us into a rush to please that disapproving, disappointed voice that tells us, "You can do more, be more, not enough, not enough!" that is supposed to propel us into achieving great glory while creating meaningful impact in the world for our fellow humans but that actually freezes us into panic and inaction, like deer caught in headlights, emotionally badgered, physically spent and too scared to take the next small step in the here and now because we are so focused on the long term destination. 

Do we not know all this? Of course we do. But we know this in theory while our real lives veer on the love-hate roller-coaster. It is time to bring our collective wisdom to bear on our actual everyday life. Get off the mental roller-coaster and celebrate your every day. 

Peace.