Wasted Energy

You've heard that phrase "well that was complete waste of energy" right?

I used it today and I realized just how negative that is. It's so indicative of how we view the world around us. We're always expecting a certain result from our actions and if we don't realize these goals we feel that we've wasted our time and energy.

A few weeks ago I was working on a little project with my friends. We were going to get together and film and post some sketches. A few of us had really invested a lot of time and energy and things just sort of fell flat. Every time I would try to get people rallied to work together it was met with clashes of schedules, lack of interest and a general lethargy around the project. I let it drop too and quickly filled up my time with other things (teacher training for the most part) and hadn't really thought about it much until earlier today when I was walking my puppy and a song came on Pandora that sparked the memory.

My immediate reaction was to become irritated. Why did I waste so much of my time if no one else cared? I could have been doing lots of other things. Why am I the only person who can keep a commitment? It really pissed me off and I was feeling completely hard done by. But then I got to thinking... I had fun working on the project with my friends, I enjoyed being creative, we hung out, laughed, and enjoyed each other's company. Can I really call that a waste?

I get so attached to the end result that I forgot sometimes how much fun the journey is. Would it have been great to see things through to fruition? Absolutely! But does that mean I completely wasted my energy? I don't think so. I guess it showed me, if you're doing things for the right reason, whether that's to develop your own skills, to have fun, to benefit others or something else entirely, then you're using your time and energy in a positive way and that's all you should hope for. It reminded me to enjoy the process and action above and beyond the goal.

I'm not suggesting we all stop trying to reach our goals deliberately - that would just make us stagnant and depressed. But enjoy the present, enjoy the time you spend doing things, the time you spend with your friends and family along the way, or the things you learn individually. And remember, as soon as you've achieved that goal, it's not the end, it's just a step further in life and it's time to start something new. This weekend I complete my 200hr training and I'm both excited and terrified. The last 8 weeks have been really life changing and I've enjoyed the growth, the friendships I've formed and the deepening of my yoga practice. The idea that next weekend I won't be meeting up on Fri, Sat and Sun with my classmates is really quite unnerving. Achieving a goal can be unsettling at times. Luckily for me this is just the start to a much longer journey and I'm already planning next steps...

Remember to love every minute of life. Realization of your dreams is wonderful but it's a very short lived high, like massacring that bar of chocolate you've been thinking about all week, and it can feel like a big crash after it. Don't spend your life rushing from one goal to another without enjoying the path on the way there. And don't freak out when you achieve your goals, enjoy the celebration and then get right on into your next journey. Keep growing, keep learning and keep laughing.