#106: Doing Without Suffering.

During the early days (months, years) of an endeavor, putting in place all that is required to establish a thing may feel like it is taking time away from engaging with the ultimate vision. Creating infrastructure, building relationships, learning new skills, getting deeply involved in the tactical and practical. When we call it a grind, we have taken on the behavior of suffering.

Suffering here is wanting to arrive at a goal more than wanting to do what is being done now. ​Releasing the suffering requires acceptance.​

If the current stage involves more acceptance than enjoyment and enthusiasm, take the opportunity to frame the constraints as rules within which to play the game, to get creative, to solve the riddle. These constraints foster clarity in what needs to be done now. And that clarity can dissipate the suffering from within and open space for new ways of doing or unexpected help.

But first take a cleansing mental breath.

Check in internally to envision a beautiful state—like taking a deep breath in. Hold the vision in the mind’s eye—like holding the breath for a moment or two. Release the vision freely, without grasping and insistence on the outcome—like a long breath out.

Then proceed to do the work that is right here right now.

Eventually, this kind of path will bring joy and, at times, flourish with the intensity of enthusiastically bringing forth. But mostly joy.

Carry on.