by Sharon Gavioli, R.N, Childbirth Educator, Brisbane
My everyday life revolves around all the necessary practical tasks to ensure my family functions smoothly. I have children to care for, a household to run and a paid job that I love, as well as making time for my relationships.
I am also a student of Universal Medicine. I have been regularly attending workshops by Universal Medicine and esoteric healing sessions and from what I have learnt, I now know that how I go about my everyday tasks is a choice that can either feel in my body as simply lovely, or as incredibly stressful.
Before coming to this understanding, I always felt very stressed in my life. There never seemed enough time and it often felt like someone was demanding something from me. More often than not, I was actually resenting having so much to do. This would result in me always looking forward to something that would give me a break from what I viewed as mundane and boring. That ‘something’ would be staying up, watching TV late, a Lindt chocolate with some chips on the side or looking forward to my next outing.
Today, I am still quite busy but I have changed. More often than not, I can feel more present with what I am doing and not getting ahead of myself thinking of all the things that need to be done. This change has come about through my commitment to developing a deeper love and appreciation of myself. This love has allowed me to be gentler with myself and to trust that life can flow without me always having to control every aspect of it. There is now a greater contentment in all I do, so even doing the dishes can be a lovely experience that I actually enjoy and not something that I have to rush through so I can get my break.
My previous pattern of feeling resentful about always having more to do, stopped me from embracing the simplicity of allowing myself to be truly present in what I was doing. This change in my approach continues to develop often by me catching the frustration and resentment when I start to feel it arising in me. When I can catch it, I just allow myself to feel that my body is holding tension and to then make a choice, knowing that my own resistance to what I am actually doing is what makes the jobs feel boring or mundane. I suppose I could say that I now feel more responsible for my own choices in how I choose to respond to the practical requirements of life.
Some days I still feel the pressure of having too many things to do creeping in and continue to catch myself when I get caught in this old pattern. But the late TV watching and Lindt chocolate fixes are long gone. More importantly, I spend very little time looking forward to an event that will bring that reprieve I so desperately felt I deserved. I know this experience of feeling the pressure of having too much to do is something that many people can relate to. For me, it has been amazing and life-changing to know there is another way.
So my life continues as business as usual, but with a much deeper awareness of how my choices can allow me to feel simplicity and joy in all I do. This simplicity has not only benefited me but also my family. When I make the choice to embrace all I do with simplicity and joy, there seems to be a domino effect that enables my family to get on board with me at times. None of this would have been possible without my choice to embrace the understandings presented by Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine for which I am forever grateful!
The Truth about Serge Benhayon 
This is a really important blog for women in particular to read. As the (more often than not) holders of all things domestic as well as our work outside the home and social and other matters, it is all too easy to slip into frustration and resentment at ‘our lot’. It’s true, there could be some inequities to address around sharing responsibility in the home and in life, but the truth is it’s easy to slide into disgruntlement whatever we do. It’s brilliant that there is clearly another way and you have highlighted how to live this Sharon. Thank you.
Choosing love in every move we make renders nothing mundane but to deepen the awareness of the love that is in and all around us.
It’s how we do what we are doing we are trying to escape from, it’s not our job, our family, our partner etc but how we respond (or react). I could barely cope with a part time job and played video games for 12 hrs a day on the other 4 days. Since applying the quality factor (energetic quality) as presented by Universal Medicine I now work two jobs, am part of many projects and writing articles and I don’t feel overwhelmed like I did 6 years ago doing 3 days a week!
It is wonderful to feel the ability to do more as complete inspiration and joy, and an expression of who we truly are.
It is very beautiful to feel as you have shared, that there is a distinct difference in the quality of life we live when we are in connection to our essence and choose to honor this connection as we move through the day. There is far greater fulfillment experienced when we live our day with presence, than when we just focus on getting or pushing ourselves through it.
Great to read this again Sharon, it reflects one of the beautiful aspects of living with the soul on earth, in that every mundane task can be imbued by our own divine presence as we make life about who we are and not what we do.
There is a way to live that support you truly and everything around you. It’s not a thought process or a program you can follow, it’s a dedication to hold yourself and connect to a quality of presence consistently in each moment of life. From here life flows just like birds in flight and there is a simplicity to what you need to do as it’s just about this true connection and from there everything else comes. So often we get caught trying to do everything and do more and more without a true connection first. This leaves us being exhausted and sometimes hurt by not seeing what we thought would be there.
Bringing everything back to quality , and loving an appreciating the way I move makes everything a joy – its all in the movement and not the task at hand.
Freeing ourselves from old patterns is the most enlightening thing we can do for ourselves and the space these have taken up in our body and mind suddenly becomes so real and the love and joy can then flood into those otherwise empty spaces and we feel a greater fullness of ourselves.
When I read this blog it reminded me of how I am at work, overwhelmed, tense and I look forward to my days off – it is something I still haven’t mastered yet. But Sharon you have shared a few tips that I will use to keep reminding myself and these were the gems:
* Feeling more present with what I am doing
* Not getting a head of myself thinking of all the things I have to do
* Committed to developing a deeper love and appreciation of myself
* Catching the frustration and resentment
* To feel the body holding tension and make a choice
* Feel more responsible for my own choices in how I choose to respond to the practical requirements of life
* Continue to watch myself when caught in old patterns
* A much deeper awareness of how choices can allow to feel simplicity and joy in all I do
How great that you now have a greater contentment and joy in all you do, ‘by me catching the frustration and resentment when I start to feel it arising in me. When I can catch it, I just allow myself to feel that my body is holding tension and to then make a choice, knowing that my own resistance to what I am actually doing is what makes the jobs feel boring or mundane.’ Lovely how you have a deeper awareness of how your choices can allow you to feel the simplicity and joy in all you do.
I love that you have developed a deeper love and appreciation of yourself and this has helped you to be more
present with what you do, ‘ I can feel more present with what I am doing and not getting ahead of myself thinking of all the things that need to be done.’
It feels to me that things are classed as ‘mundane’ because we are not aware when we do them, we are simply not present and with our body.
Spot on, appreciating what we do instead of seeing it as a chore is what creates the space to do it joyfully.
A beautiful blog to read thank you Sharon; such a gentle reminder to live life simply in love, truth and joy. What you have expressed here particularly resonated with me this morning;
“This change has come about through my commitment to developing a deeper love and appreciation of myself. This love has allowed me to be gentler with myself and to trust that life can flow without me always having to control every aspect of it”.
‘This change has come about through my commitment to developing a deeper love and appreciation of myself.’ So true Sharon this is key to not only deepening the relationship and love with ourselves but the amazing ripple effect that supports and strengthens all of our relationships.
I wonder to myself, what if in the avoidance of certain tasks I am using frustration to avoid that I can bring love to every task and joyfully approach any aspect of life?
Very relatable indeed Sharon. No doubt you have so much with which you could expand upon here – how your relationships and communications have changed with those around you, for example. When we are not exerting/allowing enormous pressure to be placed upon ourselves unduly, we are far, far more considerate and understanding of others.
Trusting that life still flows without us controlling every aspect of it..it feels lovely to start to let go of the control, to trust more, and to open up. With this comes a letting go of perfectionism too – we just do what needs to be done, without the need for it to be perfect, which allows things to flow with much more simplicity and ease.
‘ When I make the choice to embrace all I do with simplicity and joy, there seems to be a domino effect that enables my family to get on board with me at times.’ So true Sharon.
How true, love that Eduardo, ‘Everything is configured by choice so we do not have ‘time in’.’ How powerful every choice in each moment is.
Thanks for sharing Sharon. The outside of life may look very much the same, yet when we move from a deeper awareness and connection with ourselves the quality is very different. The simple things in life can be very joyful.
I also used to have that busy time thing which has changed substantially since I have understood how life is about reconnecting to the everything we already are and the living and expression of that and not about going anywhere or getting or achieving anything. Therefore, the joy is in every moment.
It is gorgeous to come to an understanding of yourself that you can now approach the pressures of life with an awareness that provides you an opportunity to choose in which quality to move from there…. catching anything that stands in the way of you responding with a love and simplicity that lets you flow through life rather than be controlled by it.
There is a world of difference between when we are engaged with what we are doing, happy to serve in whatever way we can realising that this life is not about us… vs when its all about what we can get out of a situation. Its that self interest that causes much of the stress as we try and control and manipulate the world to deliver what we want rather than feeling the flow of what is happening.
When a mother leads the way by embracing space in the day, it affects everyone else’s day. Well worth turning a big tanker to find a new way!
The simplicity of how to be in all of life comes through this blog so well. So it feels very true and beyond the words is a powerful message to all about the illusion we take on that allows us to grind down our natural joy and vitality. How we meet ourselves as amazing in the detail of our daily lives is how we come back home.
Thank you Sharon for sharing your experience that many I am sure feel the same. I for one am so used to being busy planning all the things I have to do and getting ahead of myself and going into anxiety about getting it all done. These days life is so much easier when I stay present with my lovely self in the moment – life then becomes simple and joyful.
It could be funny if it would not be so horrible: the idea of that it is possible to control lead us to try it – what ends up in overwhelming and exhaustion or giving up. Two sides of a coin we did create and which would not exist if we would not feed it.
When I get overwhelmed I am starting to feel and see that by focusing on loads of other moments and panicing about them distracts me from the quality I can bring into this moment right now. Overwhelm for me is not something I am a victim of but in full choice about.
Sharon I love what you have shared: “. . . I just allow myself to feel that my body is holding tension and to then make a choice, knowing that my own resistance to what I am actually doing is what makes the jobs feel boring or mundane.” For me this is gold as it gave me a deeper understanding that I can chose how I feel while I was doing all the “everyday things” – I am the one who is responsible for how I feel – how empowering is that!
“When I can catch it, I just allow myself to feel that my body is holding tension and to then make a choice, knowing that my own resistance to what I am actually doing is what makes the jobs feel boring or mundane.” I love this. It is not the task at hand that is boring or mundane it is because we have an image of this task to be boring and mundane and then we resist doing it and with that make it very exhausting to do. It is like stepping on the break while our body has a natural flow to continue in its movements – thus the exhaustion, we basically stop our body (a vehicle in movement) from its natural flow.
A brilliant recipe for our daily (bread) LIVING.
The way we respond to the practical requirements of life really makes or breaks our lives and how we feel about everything. If we take responsibility for the quality we complete our tasks in and work on staying present and focused and committed – life feels amazing – and so do our bodies at the end of the day.
Sharon, i can relate to seeking comfort things when life feels out of control or just too busy. I usually do this when i have not been as self loving with myself as I could be and then seek something from outside. I do this less now but am aware that it still occasionally pops up. I am so much more aware now.
With the support of Universal Medicine my days have now also begun to change. They used to be divided up into chores, work, free time for me etc, and sometimes with a lot of resistance for what “had to be done” in each segment. Now my day is becoming one continuous connection with me and how lovely that feels, meaning there is no difference between work, chores at home, or free time – just me in life.
This is all so true, the clarity and simplicity that is available by simply slowing down our mind and surrendering to feeling and living from our body is enormous. It’s about discovering a gentle and deeply connected way of being in our life and doing everything we do. It’s not about doing less or resting more, in fact we actually end up doing more and leading less test when we deepen the quality of our surrender and connection with our body in what we do.
Yes Gina and Sharon thank you for reminding me “to pay the same amount of attention, commitment and dedication to ALL tasks” in our busy life. Why give more importance to some areas and barely acknowledge others when life is the sum of all its parts?
‘…knowing that my own resistance to what I am actually doing is what makes the jobs feel boring or mundane…’ This is the ultimate in responsibility. Understanding that the task itself is not actually the problem, that it’s the tension in our bodies that allow us to think that the problem is outside of us.
I have to be honest and say this makes perfect sense to me, but I also recognise that these patterns we create are extremely old and ingrained, and turning them around feels like quite the challenge. A very worthwhile one at that, but none the less, a real commitment to oneself is required here.
Gosh, what a timely read! Just being reminded that we can make choices simple is like hearing it for the first time. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the list of ‘to do’s. It’s constant, it’s never going away, but we do have a choice in how we approach it! For example right now, I could continue reading blogs online or I make the call and get ready for my next appointment now which would mean I would not be rushing out the door. It’s simple. Just choose.
So many people say they are ‘busy’ and this feels a bit like an excuse at times for not doing what needs to be done. It is true, we are busy but your experience shows that there is a deeper quality that we can live that is not what we would generally call ‘busy’ even though we are doing a lot. It shows that what we define as busy is often associated with stress, pressure and drive not just the amount we have to do.
“This change has come about through my commitment to developing a deeper love and appreciation of myself. This love has allowed me to be gentler with myself and to trust that life can flow without me always having to control every aspect of it.” I love this Sharon. Appreciating myself more has led – and is leading – to a greater acceptance and love of who I am and what I can offer. it is not what we do, but how we are – the quality – in which we do everything that is so important.
I have found it a revelation to understand the presentations of Serge Benhayon that it is not what I am doing but how I am with myself in anything I am doing. When I am love and loving I love everything I do because it is me being me doing it.
Yes reading this blog I was nodding my head with what you share with us Sharon. In my own lived experiences that feeling of overwhelm of having ‘so much to do’ and resenting that fact. Then seeking the comforts of numbing out with food/films/ shopping etc – anything to just change the constant pressure of ‘having to do’. When all along I had a choice and a responsibility by just being more present without the need to control. The pressure I was applying to myself let alone the after effects this had on my growing family. So true Sharon what a difference by “committing to developing a deeper love and appreciation of myself” makes. The once believed constant chores are getting so much less as the joy of gently focusing on one job at a time takes away any pressures that previously were held in my body. Now my family appreciates that too.:)
Simplicity, love and joy, how simple and inspiring is that. Thank you Sharon for so succinctly highlighting the power and wisdom of living these three divine words.
Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon have enabled me to understand that everything we do in life is of equal value.
Yes Deborah, it is great to have that understanding, but then putting it into practice brings up every ideal and believe we have that prevents us from truly living in full and feeling all to be of equal value. I had to realize that there is a huge gap between that what I know is true and that what I am able to truly live.
I have to agree with you Judith that the reality of the way we live is to rank things in order of importance according to how we perceive them to be rather than understanding that the three second conversation, or a smile we may share in passing with someone is of equal value to someone performing a life saving operation (exaggerated to make a point) or someone cleaning a home or office, for the way we are in everything we do affects the all.
Yes, it is indeed quite hard, for example to not put more value on some chores, that we then like over chores that we don’t like. There are so many ideas ingrained in us what raises our value and what supposedly lessons our value, etc. This subject is endless.
I can appreciate and relate to what you’re sharing Sharon. I used to push and rush to get through all the things I didn’t really enjoy to get to something I enjoyed doing going into a cycle of exhaustion and relaxation. Now I realise that everything I do can be enjoyed when I’m connected to me and it’s a much more harmonious way of living.
“When I make the choice to embrace all I do with simplicity and joy, there seems to be a domino effect”.
I found these words very powerful Sharon; there is no doubt that the energy and quality we are in, when performing every day tasks, has a huge effect on all around us.
Great blog Sharon abut a topic that is very familiar to me. I really noted your comment about using self love and appreciation as a foundation for catching and changing the old patterns of busy-ness and control. What a support it is to know that if we stay observant, our bodies will actually tell us when we have gotten ahead of ourselves and that we need to stop/slow down and take a few deep breaths to catch what is going on.
What a beautiful revelation that being bored or not present can be felt as a tension in the body. That way it’s a supportive tool to feel into my body and look for tension whenever I feel stressed or bored or simply not present. Thanks Sharon.
I love the clarity in this blog – that it’s your own resistance to what you’re doing that causes the stress and stops you just enjoying the task for what it is, when in fact the possibility exists for you to get the task done easily and move onto the next thing, if you choose to get yourself out of the way. Because we are capable of it all. It’s just that we expend energy in fretting, resisting, feeling hard done by, rather than simply being with something fully and coming away from it intact rather than depleted and resentful.
It can be so easy to slip into frustration and resentment if we get caught up in the ‘so much to do’ picture. I love what you share here Sharon and the simple steps you take to counter this. A timely reminder today.
Thank you Sharon – “My previous pattern of feeling resentful about always having more to do, stopped me from embracing the simplicity of allowing myself to be truly present in what I was doing.” I have found that being present one task at a time brings the joy of being in the moment with them, it’s great when I remember this because the day flows in a beautiful rhythm.
A great sharing Sharon, I especially loved this line of yours -‘how my choices can allow me to feel simplicity and joy in all I do’. So true and having spent most of my life creating complications, I am now also learning to make choices that are simple and true and how my body feels much lighter and more energised when I choose this way.
The ‘not enough time’ bug has certainly had its grip on me for most of my life. What I am now working on developing is an acceptance that I can only do so much in a day and that in order for a quality sleep and a more consistent level of energy the next day, I need to let go of the urge to keep going to complete everything I want to get done. I am finding that things do eventually happen and that sometimes there is more to the picture than the narrow focus I had been holding. This bigger view emerges simply by me stepping back, allowing myself more space and staying connected through my body, rather than listening to my mind which is urging me to rush around and keep going at 100 miles an hour.
So true, Annelies, doing things under pressure feels like we forget about the truth and connection of the moment, not honoring us and the just now constellated situation that is always a part of the universal expression. Wow – everything I do, down to the smallest thing is a universal expression, that radiates into the Universe… of course it is about the quality and not the ‘what’ to do.
Love your comment, Carola!
A beautiful blog, Sharon, about the beauty of doing simple things with simplicity in life and every movement in connection with myself and what I am doing. Once a friend of me said while we were making the dishes and pondering about why we could feel this to be boring: these are my movements, how can I get bored from my own movements? This sentence stood out for me and still does today, when I feel a task to be boring or overwhelming, I remember our legendary dish washing and reconnect with my movements.
When we start to consolidate where we are at and allow a stop moment, we get to feel everything we may not have been aware of when we do things. Taking this awareness back into what we do can change things completely and therefore works with energy in allowing energy that is harming or healing to come through. This energy is then also felt by everyone around us weather they choose to be directly aware of it or not. Everyone and everything we do is connected. We are lying to ourselves if we think otherwise.
Sharon what you present here has also been my experience, when I get caught up in looking at how much there is to do, I slip into overwhelm and that is when I start dropping into old patterns that are not supportive. When I concentrate on the one thing I am doing, it has its own natural flow, and then I am not exhausted when I move onto the next thing.
It is wonderful to give ourselves a ‘stop moment’ and recognise when those familiar old patterns of behaviour (feeling the pressure) start to emerge and try to take hold once again. For me this has been a big step in stopping anxiousness taking over and running the show by slowing down, not rushing and enjoying the task/job at hand. What a beautiful recipe for living life by ‘having a much deeper awareness of how your choices can allow you to feel the simplicity and joy in all that you do’.
This blog is a great reminder of looking at the energy in which we are doing things, especially when there is really a lot to do. The sentence “My previous pattern of feeling resentful about always having more to do, stopped me from embracing the simplicity of allowing myself to be truly present in what I was doing.” is just amazing! I will take this into my week…
This is so true Vicky, the magic at play is very real. It never ceases to amaze me in what I can achieve in a day when I am in he flow of this magic. The ease and steadiness that is present oozes simplicity.
I love how you have outed the beliefs of the mundane jobs leighstrack. To bring presence and joy to all these perceived ‘tasks’ changes the energy and awareness of the whole day from this simple, strong foundation of support.
Coming to the understanding that connecting to ourself, and being present in all that we do helps make our life so much more enjoyable without the need of a reprieve at the end of the day, it is truly satisfying.
Getting ahead of ourselves makes it really hard enjoying the moment we are in as there will always be the thoughts about what is to come next and the anticipation, expectation, excitement, anxiousness.. that comes with it. So to practice to be more present is something really relaxing and enjoyable, there is no rush, no stress just that moment to be and enjoy.
I agree Esther and the beauty of this is that we allow for all that is possible. Divinity emanates around us and within us all of the time – keeping things simple and staying in the moment means we are surrendering to, appreciating and confirming God’s Plan.
I agree Esther, what gets me is: Who would have thought that just being and enjoying life could turn out to be such a difficult thing to do? It only works if we change the quality and movement we are in.
Thank you Sharon for sharing your ‘deeper awareness of how my choices can allow me to feel simplicity and joy in all I do’. It is inspiring to be reminded that I always have a choice to go into overwhelm or not and that even though I have got up later than planned this morning I can trust that if I stay present with each task I will get done what I need to before leaving for work. Prior to attending Universal Medicine presentations I would have shot out of bed and started rushing around like a headless chicken and been bumping into things and generally getting frustrated with myself and this would impact everyone around me. The joy that I now get from lovingly looking after my home and doing all the others tasks that I once put in the ‘boring and mundane’ pile does not require me to be forever seeking the escape of a reward as a compensation. Being present allows me to appreciate me being in the flow of life.
‘…not getting ahead of myself thinking of all the things that need to be done’. This is key to unlocking overwhelm because when we do get ahead of ourselves, we see all that has yet to be completed and go into varying degrees of panic about how, when and where we’ll get it all done. We put a cloud over whatever we’re doing in the moment by berating ourselves for what has yet to be done. What if instead we simply focused on the task in hand, whatever it was, giving it our all by being our all with it, not distracted by the thought of our remaining to-do list, instead of using our minds to beat ourselves up over something that’ll get done anyway, whatever mood we choose to approach it in.
This is a good point you make Cathy, as I often find myself feeling like there is too much to do and something has to give, especially at work. But as you have pointed out the mood we approach things with, makes a huge difference to how the task is completed and if we are not feeling resentment then the task is completed simply and efficiently.
I have also experienced this so often. Anxiety of not getting enough things done keeps us from doing things so that we end up in not having enough things done. We are running around in circles so often…
I’m in awe of how time and space opens up in the day when I do things with absolute presence and how magically everything then flows.
Sharon I can relate to a lot of what you say. I have felt very resentful for the growing ‘to do’ list, partly which has been because I haven’t committed to the practical aspects of life. The resistance you described to the mundane and boring jobs is very familiar for me. When I face them I realise I can actually enjoy them if I allow myself to and not get caught up in the resentment and push to get through it.
This is HUGE. What you share here is basically saying that stress is a choice. It is NOT something that just happens. The way we live governs how stresses we will be.
It’s a common theme everywhere in the world regardless of creed or colour, that as one goes about their daily routine, some aspects of it will be less enjoyable than others and those which are less desirable are endeavoured to be completed with haste, thus giving favour to the more pleasurable tasks.
So what is actually taking place within the mind and body of the one who is rushing the dishes, to sit down to watch TV, or the one speedily cooking dinner to enjoy the fruit of their labour? I say there is a lack of presence when the chores are being done to not feel, followed by an indulgence in the activity that follows, further decreasing the awareness and feeling ability of the person. So the mind is entertained with the notion of one is bad and the other experience good. The body however is disregarded, for the benefit of expediting the sought after pleasure.
“There is now a greater contentment in all I do, so even doing the dishes can be a lovely experience that I actually enjoy and not something that I have to rush through so I can get my break.” I feel that Sharon touches here-on a wonderful point, that in staying with herself, by being present, she need not dislike and escape from doing the dishes, because it’s like she’s not starving herself of herself at any point (without perfection). It’s wonderful anecdotal evidence of our endless inner joy that’s rarely tapped.
…”.that my own resistance to what I am actually doing is what makes the jobs feel boring or mundane.” Oh so true Sharon. Life is so rich if we just allow ourselves to openly experience it. Each moment has much to offer. Mundane can become truly magic.
Sharon, I relate to your blog completely. Even this morning I’m watching and observing how the stress and control want to come in and take from the joy I feel. My way of life is forever improving as I give myself moments of love and appreciation instead of chocolate and TV.
‘I now know that how I go about my everyday tasks is a choice that can either feel in my body as simply lovely, or as incredibly stressful.’ By starting my day with gentle exercises I get to feel where my body is at and thus how I need to care for it that day. If I get absorbed by what I am doing or what is going on around me and lose touch with myself, checking in with how my body feels is such a support. Having this intimate relationship with myself allows me more appreciation of myself and I get to feel this loveliness rather than the stress that is also always there if I want or choose it.
I can so relate to what you share Sharon, both the living in constant stress & resentment of all that I needed to do, and the contrast of that now that I focus more on how I am with what I do.
I loved the line: “to trust that life can flow without me always having to control every aspect of it”. This was so me and I still sometimes fall back into that pattern, which feels awful compared to when I just allow life to flow – I get so much more done and feel amazing at the same time!
It’s great to read this. As a reminder to the fact that I still get resentful at times for all the ‘doings’ that make it feel like I can’t just be a ‘being’. When I lose conscious presence, I end-up quite frustrated and the momentum of a busy working life creeps-in. I find that I require great sleep and a really good diet to maintain the energy levels required for a high level of conscious presence.
I agree Oliver, I find it more difficult to stay present and in my beautiful body when I am tired, or my body is weighed down with foods.
Deeply healing blog.
The section about the tension of time was self made brought me to a stop…
Where all that I needed to do was be in the moment and look at whatever was occurring without looking into the future.
Now I already knew this in my head however I had the chance to sit with and feel how I may think it but I don’t live it… yet.
Elodie it’s sometimes surprises me how lovely it can be to clean and tidy our homes. It did this recently with my cupboards and now each time I remove an item, I am reminded of the my loving choice to organise and tidy them as a support for me.
Beautiful words of wisdom Sharon, staying present with what we are doing and not racing ahead of ourselves, thinking about the next task. Being present with my body and allowing myself to feel all that is there is an amazing and unfolding dedication to loving myself.
So true, a deep joy and contentment can be found through a choice to be present and consider how we use our bodies, whatever task. I also have children, a home and work and I know in the past I have felt a drive to get things done. It has actually felt like I am almost ahead of my body, dragging it forward. However when that feeling occurs these days, I am very aware that continuing in it will result in anxiety and stress. There definitely is a choice here to be made.
Thank you Sharon for your great sharing , being responsible for our choices brings a great simplicity and joy into our lives in all that we are and do.
I can very much relate to what you share Sharon. In the past, even when I had very little to do, I felt a lack of time and everything was done in a stressful manner. Now, I am busier than I have even been or felt was humanly possible yet as I learn to be more present with all that I do, everything shifts. There is a greater flow, there is a stillness, there is space…the list goes on. I’m still fairly new to this way of doing and still learning and exploring, but I am constantly amazed at what is possible when we alter the way in which I do things.
“knowing that my own resistance to what I am actually doing is what makes the jobs feel boring or mundane.” This is an important realisation Sharon as we tend to think it is the chores or things we need to do whereas in truth it is all about the quality in which we do them.
I have also learnt that trying to control life and all that is happening is like being on a very fast rollercoaster- I stopped feeling myself as was so caught up in the doing rather than the being. I now am more present in the doing and allow those around me to be responsible for how they are and to share in what needs to be done. Thank you Sharon -what you have written is a timely reminder for me to make loving choices for me.
It’s great what you have presented Sharon, When you bring your commitment to all the things you need to do on a daily basis, and you bring your presence to them, they are actually a joyful activity to do so whether you get the ‘break’ or not, you are not desperate or hanging out for it, you are already fulfilled in all your days.
I loved rereading what you have presented here Sharon, so practically related to our everyday lives.
Such a lovely reminder of the impact of the choices we make in every moment (on ourselves and others) and keeping things simple.
I have found that when I am consciously present with what I’m doing and allow the day to unfold, there is often a wonderful feeling of spaciousness and I end up getting more done than if I had become anxious about the tasks that neede doing.
It’s wonderful that you feel your family benefiting from what you are reflecting to them.
Thank you Sharon I loved your blog, being with me in everything I do, and love being with me in the doing , in simplicity and joy, a beautiful reminder.
Such a simple change to our routine and daily chores can make such a profound difference to our lives. Like you Sharon, I am grateful to Serge Benhayon for bringing my awareness to this, which enabled me to make my days more joyful, get more done and handle life with more ease.
I agree Judith, my life too has changed so much and the ease, flow and loveliness is amazing compared to the struggle, exhaustion and resentment i have know and lived before. Serge Benhayon truly show another way one that is in all senses life changing.
Oh Sharon, a can of worms is opened!!! Not rushing the boring to get to the good is a big grinding holt in a lifetime of just wanting to get that reward. I love how you have described your change here, and how it used to be. So inspiring that you have stopped this and are now just living each moment knowing it is all good and nothing is boring because you are so present, enjoying who you are and just being yourself in everything that you do.. I find when I do this I don’t feel so exhausted or resentful because I am so aware of what I can and can’t do, I can’t unknowingly over do it.
I loved reading this Sharon – it is so easy to be in resistance to what we are doing instead of choosing the simplicity of enjoying being with ourselves. I often find myself struggling with the mundane practicalities of life and so this is a beautiful reminder to lovingly respond to them by seeing them as an opportunity to connect, and to be with the flow that is there only when the control and resistance can be let go. Awesome.
Well said Samantha, I can certainly relate to the resistance side of tasks, even in things that I enjoy, like cooking and eating! I get it now, every moment is a moment to connect and be with ourselves, no matter what we are doing.
Life is very demanding. Be in the flow of it is not an easy task. Universal Medicine teachings are an amazing help to introduce simplicity and love in life. They really make a huge difference.
I agree with your comment here: simplicity and love, the more, the better.
Simplicity is such a key word when reflecting on our everyday lives; if simplicity is truly lived it has such a transformative power.
Thank you Sharon for presenting such a powerful message.
It’s revelatory to feel the difference between doing what has to be done in our day with simplicity. It’s almost effortless and way more fun than without it. It turns it from doing our day to more simply being in our day.
Choices, it is that simple Sharon and you have reminded me of how powerful they are and what a difference we can make to the quality of our lives when we take responsibility and really value ourselves. I can’t remember what a Lindt chocolate tastes like now!
Letting go of controlling everything that is happening is such a freedom, this does lead into the joy that we can have with every thing we do.
So well said Benkt. It has been the control aspect in the past that has been so strong for me. I wanted such a tight hold on the reins feeling that if I wasn’t in control and didn’t manage it all that overwhelm and chaos would swamp me. But maintaining such a tight grip is exhausting and allows for very little space and flow.
Making that choice in every moment, so powerful. I am actually looking forward to doing the dishes now….
Awesome blog Sharon, keeping it simple and true – love what you have shared here.
There is such beauty and grace in keeping life simple, and the ease and joy are well worth the initial effort.
“So my life continues as business as usual, but with a much deeper awareness of how my choices can allow me to feel simplicity and joy in all I do.” Being in the moment creates space, life can be more simple with more joy. This is expressed with beautiful simplicity in this blog through your experiences.
It seems those moments where we ‘treat’ ourselves to our chocolate, dessert, alcohol (or whatever we as people treat ourselves with) are in fact a treat, BUT they are actually a behaviour we cannot change because we need the stimulation and the alteration. Although people will say they love their chocolate, they actually aren’t able to stop having chocolate. They know the consequences it has but they can’t stop, they wouldn’t want to, it’s their only ‘high’ moment and because there is not a self-loving foundation in their bodies they can’t say no to that. It’s beautiful that you are able to change the way you live so that you no longer need chocolate as a treat, it’s like you treat yourself all the time by the way you live.
Your techniques of catching the thoughts and tension before they become exhausting, staying in the present moment and not thinking about what is ahead, and also becoming more loving to yourself, are all inspiring Sharon, and they are simple choices to make.
Great to feel how those simple changes have a very large impact in living my day. It changes completely the concept of time, I don’t have to finish before the start of that particular tv show I wanted to watch. It brings more of a relaxation than that this tv show can ever give me.
I loved the simplicity of this blog Sharon. It reminded me of how I’ve been feeling lately as a I walk.. I remember once wherever I went, whatever I was doing, I was rushing… I would walk fast, do things as quickly as I could – I was in a constant momentum. Lately, as I’ve been walking around my work place, or down the street, wherever I’m walking, I’ve been acutely aware of how joyful it feels just to walk with me. There’s no rushing – and whenever I go into rushing I feel the stress in my body immediately and have to stop – there is just a deep joy, a feeling of being truly beautifully and of absolutely deserving to take every step with myself and for myself.
Relatable blog Sharon, yes I have certainly found that by leaving myself short of time or packing it in, that the day and also the week then follows the same congestion leading to anxiousness or stress. It’s so important to create that bit of time so that the body gets to operate with its natural spaciousness, and we enjoy the vitality this brings.
Great blog Sharon, I can very much relate to it. I also felt resentment when I feel I have taken on too much but I didn’t slow down or ask for help. I would have done a lot of things in resentment and stress. Now I have changed my way of living, this began when I attended presentations and workshops by Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine. I have learnt what it means to be in conscious presence. To be in stillness as often as possible and in everything that I do. To be aware of my thoughts, to be aware of my choices and how they affect me and others.
Absolutely inspiring Sharon and chanly88, the use of conscious presence is paramount in our evolution!
Great blog, Sharon. I can certainly relate to it. I love your line:
‘to trust that life can flow without me always having to control every aspect of it.’
Letting go of control (and this still being work in progress) has been key for me. And just like you described: being present with everything I do at that moment is crucial.
“How I go about my everyday tasks is a choice that can either feel in my body as simply lovely, or as incredibly stressful”. So true Sharon thank you. I used to ‘think’ that the tasks I had to do were imposing on me all sorts of emotions such as resentment, anger, anxiety etc. as in fact and all along I was choosing those emotions in the first place! This was a huge realisation for me.
I can relate to blaming tasks for making me feel resentful etc Maryline and the joy in realising that I had a choice about how I approached anything.
Sharon I love your comment about recognising that when a task seems boring it is because you are not being present with yourself, which can build resentment. That is a great reminder to me!
“Simplicity” was my keyword to step out of stress. To cook simple meals, to keep the household simple, to keep the garden simple, to answer emails simple in a few lines, to keep comments on blogs simple… 😉
Beautiful Sharon, I can feel that it is trust in a harmonious life, this is very important. It’s independent of how busy our lives are, a harmonious rhythm is always possible.
This is such a beautifully written blog, packed with everyday revelations that I totally recognize in my life. I have often wondered “when will I be done with everything I need to do so I can have a break?” Thank you for the inspiration, Sharon, to simply “embrace all I do with simplicity and joy”, – so that life, with all its chores, flows.
I know, of course, that I will never be done with everything I need to do, but it’s all about HOW I do things, how I approach time, and me being consciously present every single moment. Work in progress, celebrating every step of the way.
That huge responsibility of being all that you are in all that you do for others can be a very tough continuation indeed. Thanks Sharon (:
I get a strong sense from reading your words Sharon, of how gorgeous you are and how this gorgeousness lives with us all, right under our nose. It is literally right there waiting for us to connect and be with, in any activity we do. If I read you right, you agree – we can have fun in everything if we choose. I feel like you had fun writing these words Sharon. And I have had fun here too. Thank you for your inspiration.
For me, choosing, or having the choice to choose, is a very empowering way to live in the world , and at any moment I can re- imprint what I am doing,to make what I am doing more purposeful, joyful and fun. Thanks Sharon.
Sharon, thank you for this, it inspires me to do the jobs around the home that I seem to always put off as they seem such a chore – when in fact when done with tenderness and love they provide a real opportunity to stay connected and imprint that returns to us. Simplicity, Love and Joy – the choice is always there.
Thank you Andrew, I can see how I put things off when they seem a chore, but what you say here completely turns it around.
What you have shared here Sharon is so beautiful, simple, yet so profound. Your commitment to making these changes in your life had made a huge impact, knowing you personally, I can say it has been transformational and incredibly inspirational.
“This change has come about through my commitment to developing a deeper love and appreciation of myself. This love has allowed me to be gentler with myself and to trust that life can flow without me always having to control every aspect of it.” This is beautiful Sharon. Committing to more self-love and deep nurturing has enabled me to turn my life around, from feeling stressed and anxious to one of flow – when I stay present with myself – regardless of how much there is to do in a day.
I love the profound and yet simple changes you have made in your life Sharon, and this blog is consistent in its inspiration each day. I can relate to the resentment you speak of in feeling the need to ‘do more’, as it keeps us thinking in the moment about what is to come, as opposed to appreciating, enjoying and living in the moment we are already in.
It appears to me and my understanding to be about a consistent choice -to choose what feels loving, and an equal commitment to deepening the relationship with ourselves – whilst communicating what is being felt. There is a clear difference between ‘doing’ and the enjoyment of ‘being who you are’ and then doing what is there to be done, but with a naturally loving and supportive way of doing it.
Beautiful Sharon, ‘My previous pattern of feeling resentful about always having more to do, stopped me from embracing the simplicity of allowing myself to be truly present in what I was doing’, this is a great reminder for me, when I’m truly present in what I am doing, whatever it is it feels divine, compared to the roughness and rush of trying to just get something done asap – a very different feeling.
I loved reading your post Sharon – it reminded me of how I always used to see certain things in my life as a ‘reward’ for something that ‘needed to be done – a chore’. Today I am forever learning to enjoy each moment, to not have ‘on time’ and ‘off time’ but simply stay present with myself no matter where I am or what is at play and as a result, my body no longer craves the rewards.
I agree Eva, I, too, am now forever learning to be present in each and every moment and this simplicity brings a joy and a harmony to my body that I find truly gorgeous.
‘how I go about my everyday tasks is a choice that can either feel in my body as simply lovely, or as incredibly stressful.’ Just realising that I always have this choice was (and is) a revelation to me.
I understand exactly what you have expressed here Sharon regarding the busyness and stress of trying to get everything that needs to be done and resenting not having time to myself to effectively do nothing.
I have found by just enjoying being present with what I am doing in every moment does not allow me to get stressed, and that by not focusing on what I am not doing or have yet to do suddenly creates the space to complete even more than I thought possible.
Sharon I can relate to what you say and how much difference it makes to work on keeping things simple instead of getting caught up in the busy things. I’ve found I get so much more done and whilst I know there is always lots more to do it does make a big difference to how I go through the day and the quality I feel at the end.
I love what you have shared here Sharon. Applicable to all I feel. It seems today that we all have so much ‘to do’ – I remember as a kid feeling that I had ‘so much time’, so much that I was often bored and wanted to will time away. As an adult, it was the opposite in that I never have enough time and I wish that there were more hours in the day. What I am realising as I write this, is that could it be that both are the same energy, just the opposite end of the spectrum? Both come about from not ‘being present’ in what we are doing in the moment? I too have found that since applying what is presented through the teachings of Universal Medicine and developing my mind being with my body in what I am doing moment to moment, that although I still have lots to do, a different quality is felt in how things are done and this is felt in my body.
I still have to pull myself up everyday when I go into the ‘I’ve got to get it done’. I find that when this happens, my body tenses up and I start to feel anxious. I know that this is when it is time to pause, reconnect back to my body and breath and then start again.
Beautiful Sharon, a timely reminder for me to keep things simple, thank you.
Sharon so simple is the approach that you have shared. It is so amazing that we all seem to carry on as if we are being told to be a certain way – then at various moments throughout our days – our years we get reprieve – read relief from the tension that we actually choose to complete the many things life presents to us. If we simply choose the quality of us and ‘go with the flow’ that tension eases and we no longer need to check out from life but embrace it ever more deeply.
Thank you Sharon for sharing how to, and that it is possible to bring simplicity into the forever increasing ‘busy-ness of life’.
Thank you Sharon! I am deeply inspired by your blog and the rhythm you have brought to your very busy life by being present with yourself –
“I can feel more present with what I am doing and not getting ahead of myself thinking of all the things that need to be done. This change has come about through my commitment to developing a deeper love and appreciation of myself. This love has allowed me to be gentler with myself and to trust that life can flow without me always having to control every aspect of it”.
I love the simplicity of what you have shared here Sharon. It makes all the little mundane things I do during the day into opportunities to reconnect with myself and take the usual pressure off myself, with all the things I tend to think I “need to do” during the day. Most of these pressures I have allowed to put on myself are in the end not needed at that time at all, but could be accomplished in their own time without a problem.
Top blog Sharon and one that I can definitely relate to. I had spent a lot of years rushing to get jobs done so I could have that break I felt I deserved. And like you, that all changed with the presentations of Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon. He inspired me to see that by being present with myself, all these daily jobs needn’t be a chore but could be fun and joyful. And of course, he was right.
Thank you Sharon. When I next feel that frustration rising I will think of this blog, as I love the way that you have shared that you catch yourself and decide to make a different choice. It is so true that building resentment and frustration just makes things harder.
Thank you Sharon, for highlighting what I think is a common problem for people
who feel that life is just a sort of treadmill. I too have found, that just by being more
present in the more mundane tasks such as washing-up dishes, can make a big difference.
Thank you, Sharon, for highlighting how different life can be when we let go of the overwhelm by connecting back to our bodies and the lovely quality we can bring to everything we need to do. This process of letting go, and accepting that “life can flow without me always having to control every aspect of it” is something I can very much relate to.
Wow Sharon, what a great blog and one I can certainly relate to. This part is gold: ‘When I can catch it, I just allow myself to feel that my body is holding tension and to then make a choice, knowing that my own resistance to what I am actually doing is what makes the jobs feel boring or mundane. I suppose I could say that I now feel more responsible for my own choices in how I choose to respond to the practical requirements of life.’ I sometimes experience feeling resentful about doing things and the way you share your experience of using the simplicity of the body to make a different choice in how you approach a task is something I will try for myself. Thank you for such a honest and powerful sharing.
I can really relate to the feeling of someone demanding me to get everything done and the resentment that follows. What I have learnt is that it is actually myself doing the demanding. When I stop and connect to who I truly am I feel a sense that I am worthy and that I don’t have to try and the more I connect the more the demand melts away; the more I feel present, I enjoy whatever I am doing, as it no longer comes with such a heavy burden of the ‘have to do’ on my back.
I can relate to much of what has been shared here in how my life used to be. This is great to read as a reminder of the importance of presence and simplicity in each activity through the day, regardless of what this is. I too am learning it is the quality of myself in these tasks that matters and then the rest just flows. Thank you, Sharon.
Inspiring Sharon, I can completely relate to the feeling of overwhelm after a big day which leads to me seeking things like TV or foods to escape from that feeling. But as you say, if we approach all aspects of our lives with the same complete simplicity then we should never actually reach the point of overwhelm, as if we are present in every thing that we do, what we do is no longer a struggle against how our bodies truly wish to serve.
Great point Susie, “if we are present in every thing that we do, what we do is no longer a struggle against how our bodies truly wish to serve.”
I think the world would relate to that feeling of the mundane, the tediousness, the looking forward to something as a form of reprise or respite. How amazing that you have found and now live another way, one that can be seen for others, so they too can make that change for themselves.
Reading this Sharon I can relate to a lot, especially realising that life is as it is, and we have the responsibility in how we choose to be in and with it – thank you. I also loved how you wrote that in being more gentle with yourself you are less needing to control and more willing to allow the flow. Again a beautiful reminder…
I really relate to what you have written here Sharon. Things have changed a lot for me too. I used to always feel that stress of trying to get something finished so I could get to the next thing on the never ending list. More recently I have started to enjoy whatever I am doing because it is ME doing it. Just now as I was typing this comment, I could feel my fingers touching the keyboards and it was rather lovely – like a dance. 🙂
Nicola, I like what you have said about
” I have started to enjoy more of what I do because it is ME doing it.”
Thank you for keeping things simple, there can never be enough reminders for me to keep things simple.
So true, Sally. It is always great to be reminded to keep things simple.
Completely love this Sharon. I love the clarity of it, the truth of it, and the commitment.
I love what you write Sharon, it feels as if you have written this blog for me as this is also my experience. Thank you for the reminder of simplicity.