Lately I have made an in-depth study on what commitment truly is. Last year somebody shared with me that they felt I was completely withdrawn from life – not committing to life in full.
At first I resisted: “Who me? I have started up several companies, been successful in my career, have many friends, I was on television, radio, wrote columns in newspapers. How can you call me withdrawn from life?” But in truth I was. It took some weeks to fully admit this unpleasant truth.
Several things had happened in my life when I was young, then one final big tipping point event a couple of years ago and with that, I made the choice to withdraw from life. I decided that life was too painful to be in so I believed it was better to withdraw from life, even with little money to support myself, rather than committing to life in full. It was not a clear conscious choice, but I can see now it was still a choice.
In light of this revelation I decided to study how commitment really works, and return to leading a fully committed life. I had discussions with people about it, sessions with Esoteric practitioners and read inspiring articles like Commitment to Self –Commitment to Life and A True Commitment to Work, Getting a Job… and Life.
From here I started to re-commit to life, starting with some simple, practical things. One of the seemingly simple exercises I did to support all this was going for a ten minute walk every day. I began with focussing only on feeling my hands and my feet as I walked as a way to support myself to develop conscious presence. I also found that really paying attention to how I felt in my body when talking with people supported me to stay connected to myself – which was not my usual way as I tended to focus my attention on the other person or people I was with, or just lose myself in the story I was telling.
Another thing – and there was quite a list – was when I was sitting behind a computer, was to not ‘disappear’ into the screen. Always feeling my body, whatever part that might be.
Recently I had a realisation of another way of how commitment truly works. I had an awful day at work; actually and more correctly, I chose to have an awful day at work by choosing to not commit. I resisted the work that was there to do as I thought of it as boring and arrogantly considered myself too good for it. I did not work with 100% dedication and I secretly started sending out and answering private emails and doing personal things for myself.
What made it worse was that I still believed I delivered good results. Basically I thought I could get away with this – and indeed management did not notice – but in truth I couldn’t, not with the energy I was allowing to run my body, which was definitely not commitment or love. I became slow in my actions, my body felt heavy, and it did not stop when I left work.
At the end of the day I felt powerless and somehow a bit stupid as well. I walked in an unstable way and felt light in my head. This was not how I normally would feel, or who I knew myself to be, and with this I knew I had let another energy affect my body.
Later on with the help of a true friend I realised deeply how commitment really works.
I realised that when I choose to not commit to life in full, it creates an opening for ‘negative’, that is, unloving energy to enter. But when I choose to commit to life in full, the energy I feel in my body is very different – it is loving, solid and light. Therefore it is my choice that can seal off openings for this unloving energy to enter. This case at work was very huge and clear. But it also works with seemingly small things like doing the dishes, answering emails and cooking.
When I don’t commit to every aspect of my life in full, I allow unloving energy to enter. For example, when I choose to not commit in doing the dishes, but I do them anyway because I have to do them, but now slower and with an indulgence, this contains the draining and unloving energy that is not supportive to true commitment.
Therefore all of the choices I make, the quality of energy I choose to do them in, and whether I am fully committed or not, has an impact on my work, my energy levels, my relationships, my body, other people… on everything.
Leading a committed life now means for me to be fully committed to myself first, knowing there is nothing selfish about that. What this means is that I make it my priority to honour what I feel, treating my body with respect and care, as I would my best friend, and listening intently to what it is telling me. The commitment to the things I do is equally important, but always comes second.
With much appreciation to Serge Benhayon, his family and the many students of The Way of The Livingness, who show me what it means to fully and truly commit to life. Thanks for your reflection!
By W.P.
Further Reading:
The Ultimate Commitment To Life
Taking Responsibility and Making A Re-Commitment To Life
Commitment To Self – Commitment To Life
The Truth about Serge Benhayon 
Commitment can be interpreted in different ways and it is worth really considering what that word means to us and how it equates in our life – are we committed to an ideal/ belief or picture about how we think we and others should be in life and how does that feel in our body or is there something more – a commitment to a quality of being that we can consistently develop our expression of in all areas of life…
I feel at times I have lost that commitment to life and have just allowed myself to drift. But having connected with The Way Of the Livingness and its presenter Serge Benhayon I know now the importance of commitment in all areas of Life.
Are we committed to manifesting images of how we want life to look or are we committed to what energy we are aligning to and the quality of how we move through life? Both may bring the same outcomes, but the body that arrives at those outcomes will look very different.
Sometimes even when we believe we are fully committed to life in all areas things can come up that show us that there is, even more, commitment required.
It was great to read this blog again, especially these words as i am becoming more aware of what you have expressed ” I also found that really paying attention to how I felt in my body when talking with people supported me to stay connected to myself – which was not my usual way as I tended to focus my attention on the other person or people I was with, or just lose myself in the story I was telling.”
Building commitment and consistency in one area first, so there is a strong foundation makes sense; then this can be brought to another area and building a stronger foundation.
This blog is a great reminder that true commitment requires consistently listening to our body and not overriding its requests to eat or move differently.
‘Another thing – and there was quite a list – was when I was sitting behind a computer, was to not ‘disappear’ into the screen. Always feeling my body, whatever part that might be’ Thanks for the reminder. I know that I can lose touch with my body and then lose touch with myself. Staying in touch with my body means I am always present and I can feel the flow and interweaving rhythms, life becomes a symphony and I am there in the orchestra, playing my part.
Any task can be a joy when we bring ourselves fully to it. When we resist and withdraw by not fully committing to life we drain our own life-force.
Commitment (or lack of) is felt by all involved and can have great impact on the team environment.
Yes, Julie, I too get side tracked from work when I am on the computer, and end up not doing what I planned. I think I will have to set myself a time limit for social media sites in particular.
What I have found when it comes to commitment is, if I don’t make everything about energy first then my commitments falls away.
You remind me that commitment is about quality before it can be about anything else.
‘Getting away with it’ is a great tag line for the spirit – as it think it’s gets away with it’s choices and what it creates but, in truth, we never get away with anything as our bodies are a very precise record keeper of every movement we make and whether that is true to our being or in line with the separatism that is around us.
Thank you, this is confirming that being committed to our bodies 100% is what supports my conmmitment out in the world. Awesome:)
Energy can be very subtle at times, so if we choose not to be aware of energy, we can often wonder why are are feeling a certain way, for example feeling tired but not sure why. But when you commit to life in full, and being as present as you can in your body, you can become aware of different types of energies and how they effect your body. Like you become your own scientist – aha! when I do that, this happens! and when I do that, that happens! Study the cause and effect of your own body. Cool stuff.
For me commitment comes down to the energy I choose to align with, be it the energy of love, or what is not. When I chose love, commitment is an easy flow the has a continual pull towards purpose in all my moves. When I choose what is not, I feel exhausted, life is hard, and I make every movement a battle against myself.
You mention here about the choice to withdraw from life, and how even though it was not a “clear and conscious” it was still your choice. This reminds of the default modes that we can all have in reaction to what life is presenting at the time causing choices to be made that are perhaps so engrained they are not even picked up or noticed. But I am aware how important it is to never judge ourselves for these choices and to always come to these situations with understanding – for who we are, the lessons we have yet to learn, and the journey we have each been on so far.
I love your study, for me commitment is an interesting one I can say from my head yes but then can find myself holding back. However when I factor purpose in everything comes alive and I am fully committed!
We justify any thought as long as we understand it fits into our current set of ideals. When we are starting to understanding commitment to life in full our spirits take advantage of any glitches, which are our ideals and beliefs, so that we are do not truly align to or be obedient to God. With a deep understanding of our true values, which is all that we know as being divine, so we can become obedient to a true way if living. This is so supportive to everyone we encounter and this is an obedience to God so we have the ability to not enjoin the vibrations of creation.
Committing to life fully is about being in life in full but at the same time not being at the mercy of life but instead reading the energy behind everything and responding from that place.
You highlight something key here if we do not commit in full we leave ourselves open to be run by and distracted by those negative thoughts and we hand ourselves over to be owned by what is outside.’ Your article has been a beautiful illumination of what commitment is in truth.
Commitment to life is actually very simple when we understand our true purpose which is to clear all the mess we have created and to return to a love filled way of living. That said being not committed is actually in denial of our purpose and instead adds to the creation that we eventually have to undo one day, sooner or later.
Commitment to life is a commitment to our life’s movements. It is from here we can observe the energy and connection to our bodies and how disconnection from our movements can change the energy in which we then connect too. I also find it interesting when I drop things or bump into something, was I truly present or was I thinking of something else? Commitment is the consistency to reconnect to our bodies without perfection and to keep deepening our relationship with who we are, because without that our connection to ourselves is haphazardly lost.
The pictures we have of what life is, and what we are in that life are rarely sourced from a reliable and true source. And so they lead us on a merry path of ideals that prevent us from living the life we truly can.
Sure Heather, but the pictures are only there because we have chosen to be not committed to life but instead commit to the human creation. This explains the need of the pictures to perpetuate the same creation over and over again because this creation is not sustainable on itself.
I have also observed that when I am committed to life everything takes on a different quality and there is no such thing as boring.
Very useful and practical steps on how to return to commitment tp life and end the energy of withdrawing, giving up and holding back from life and people.
It is gorgeous how you committed to commit to life and to find out what that involved. In committing to commit you had already committed in that moment!
Very true the big question is what are we committed to?
Everything takes on a different meaning when we make it about the quality of being and not the doing.
Every moment counts. Absolutely every moment. What we do in each moment can effect the next and unless we bring awareness into these moments, we can remain ignorant to what quality we are in for each of these moments. Reading this blog I was aware that I was in and out of it, committed to reading it, bit distracted for a while, committed to reading it, distracted again. Being aware and committed not only to life but the quality in which you live it, is a loving discipline.
This is a great self- study to observe our body and to feel the consequences of each moment of lived commitment and conversely each moment without, for each are polar opposites and support us no end or add to our struggle.
It is interesting that when we resist the work that is there to do we often feel more tired than if we had chosen to fully commit to doing it, and this goes for any task. I find that when I drive long distances but have in the back of my mind that I really don’t want to, then the journey feels awful because I get tired and find it hard to be present.
Thanks Julie, you brought in a deeper understanding of the subtleties of commitment and how it has a profound affect on our vitality.
Being ‘committed’ to life is really about being committed to being us, in the fullest versions of ourselves. It is not about how much we do or achieve, but everything about the quality that we are and bring.
I love how the body responds to commitment. It loves it and is in fact, along with consistency what actually builds a body that can serve with absolute purpose and truth.
Great point Sarah. I have tried singing without commitment and singing with full commitment and the difference is astonishing. What is true in one aspect of life is true in all aspects of life.
When I try and disappear into my computer or check out it feels so awful afterwards almost like a hangover. I feel more demotivated and empty than before the checking out. The trick for me is to catch it earlier and choose something else, by asking what is really needed in that moment to come back to myself.
I love the strength, power and lightness I feel in my body when I am fully committed to life and aware of my choices.
When we commit to life with purpose we feel that we don’t walk alone, and in this we are supported with our every move. The energy that we then walk in is not a push or drive that exhausts but a flow and rhythm that supports.
I know when I am not committed in full to something, I am in my head, plain and simple. My whole body and being is just wanting to go for it and do what needs to be done in full with me, but ideals or misperceptions about the situation from past experiences lead me to think and view it otherwise.
When I have not committed in full, I get thoughts of ‘giving up’, ‘I can’t be bothered’, ‘I don’t care’, and this is not really me, as when I’m committed in full I care deeply about what I’m doing and how what I am doing will impact others.
Beautifully expressed Liane, this shows how important it is to fully commit to love and to being who we are. I have experienced the emptiness of living a loveless way and it is harmful to myself and everyone around me. Now, I am learning to choose to commit to love more and more.
Commitment and consistency are the brothers of developing in a truly evolutionary way.
Yes, without the consistency we fall back into old patterns which do not support us to evolve.
Spot on Alex, the question is “what are we committing to?” – are we committing to life? Or are we committing to not commit to life? The answers lie in the body and how we feel…our barometer of truth.
Committing to life is really about committing to ourselves in full, in order to bring all of who we are to the world. This requires us to be in our body and not to be just “talking heads” that is have knowledge but not live true to it so that it becomes wisdom.
It’s a big one to witness in ourselves. I can see where I let go of my commitment – and it’s sadly more often than I want to admit. The moment a challenge presents itself, I am quick to let it take over me and then indulge in the story of that challenge. What’s awesome is that while I’m still working through that, I’m able to catch it more quickly, realise what’s happening, remember that it doesn’t get me anywhere by feeling sorry for myself as the challenge is still there, and then from there make a choice to tackle it. It’s all a learning….but choosing to be more aware of my patterns is certainly helping me grow.
We lose this commitment to life so early on that it becomes familiar and unoticed, yet shining a light on it as you have done offers the opportunity to re-commit. I love how you share it is not about how public you are at all – you can be out there very much in community but it you are not present with yourself then you are playing a game and ticking boxes. I so get that – been there and done it… eeek
I recently realised in full that it is possible to be totally active, looking the part, working and doing the good thing… but be totally withdrawn, relying on our re-call memory to get by, meanwhile not evolving and not bringing any form of purpose to what we are doing, just living as a means to an end which is comfort and seeking relief.
Great point jacqmcfadden04 I can also get lost in work and loose touch with my body, this will be my focus today to commit to consciously being in my body and bringing my awareness to my body continually. Interesting too how easy it is to sabotage the lovely full feeling in our bodies when it’s there, often through food, drink, or some form of distraction.
Being present in my body or staying within that awareness of how I feel for me at the moment is the key in healing my own withdrawal from life. Because the more withdrawn I become the less I am in the presence of my feelings, which feel steady and at ease with whats going on in life.
Not being committed makes living our life routine and humdrum and it is also very draining.
This is such a great realisation that being busy and doing many things doesn’t mean that we are committed to life, and the one that certainly requires some humbleness to admit. It’s really bizarre how we forget to bring the whole of us into what we do at each and every moment – we let our body engage in some activity while our mind disappear somewhere else – and how common that is, and we call that ‘life’.
The mechanics of living daily is a great place to start with experimenting on how committed we are. It can be a lot fun to discover new ways of supporting yourself and bringing more love into our lives.
When I commit to life I feel me in my body and the responsibility that is needed with every choice I make. I align to a divine energy and allow this to flow through me and I flow with it. When I do not commit to life I feel a different quality of energy running my body and the flow stops. I allow this at these times. Responsibility for my choices go out the window when I give permission for this other energy to control my choices .
If we be in our body and move and express from our body then life flows in a very natural rhythm.
This is a great marker to have , ‘when I choose to commit to life in full, the energy I feel in my body is very different – it is loving, solid and light.’ Beautiful.
This is something I need to embrace more fully as I find it harder to stay connected to myself when talking to other people, ‘I also found that really paying attention to how I felt in my body when talking with people supported me to stay connected to myself – which was not my usual way as I tended to focus my attention on the other person or people I was with, or just lose myself in the story I was telling.’
The body responds so well to commitment, in fact it loves it. Commitment for the body is like nurturing balm.
Commitment builds so much steadiness, joy, enjoyment and connection in my life.
This blog reveals so much. The attitude and intention we take to anything makes a vast difference to everything.
To recognize that when you choose to not commit to life in full that it creates an opening for negative/unloving energy to enter… is a profoundly important awareness to come to, for the foundation we then choose to walk on is entirely up to us and issues then based on what we create for ourselves through our withdrawal.
It’s beautiful how when we choose to commit to life there is a real domino effect that happens in terms of how we observe and become aware of how our bodies move. I have recently found that when I walk upstairs I really find it a hassle and quite draining. I have been experimenting with this at the train station where there is a constant buzz of people going by and instead of being engulfed by the force of the crowd I have chosen to commit to my own steps and my presence when I take every step. I have felt such a shift in how I move upstairs now, it really shows how our commitment can be highlighted in the simplest of movements everyday.
In the past I would have considered myself committed to life, after attending Universal Medicine events it was obvious that true commitment to life encompassed so much more than what I was choosing to live. I am now learning to understand and live the qualities of true commitment in every area of my life and I notice that there is no end point with this there is always a deeper quality for us to develop and accept.
Commitment to the quality in the way we work, or do anything makes a huge difference – when I’m present with what I’m doing and connected with my whole body and feelings there is quality in the way I move and think that feels supportive for everyone.
This is superb to read, so apt. I can relate to choosing to have an awful day at work because there are areas I’m not committing to 100% The line, ‘Leading a committed life now means for me to be fully committed to myself first, knowing there is nothing selfish about that,’ really stood out as I know this to be true in my body a little bit and logically too. But there is still remnants of feeling selfish for not sacrificing myself for another But then I have to ask myself what am I reflecting when I effectively am self-abusing myself for not taking care of myself? Abuse is not pretty and it is not ok to condone it in anyway especially by living it. When I look after myself I am communicating it is ok to look after oneself. I am noticing how powerful reflections are in life.
‘ But when I choose to commit to life in full, the energy I feel in my body is very different – it is loving, solid and light.’ It’s great to have this clarity of the two energies we can align to, if we are with our body and committed to life with a loving solid light feeling, or not which we then align to an energy that feels heavy and draining.
Thank you Wihelm a great blog to wake up to and be reminded that commitment to life infuses every area and is not a pick and mix of choices.
I love how you share the quality of your day is a reflection of your commitment to life and I can relate to this very much. I have often wondered how one day can be so different to another and when I take time to look at it, it is never so much about the things I had to do in the day but my commitment to what needed to be done and within that my commitment to myself.
Commitment really is a powerful and wonderful word… It can have such far-reaching effects just undertaking small acts of commitment can create a foundation for the evolution of the big picture of our lives
“Leading a committed life now means for me to be fully committed to myself first, knowing there is nothing selfish about that.”
It’s easy to slip into the belief that taking care of yourself is something that you do last, especially when you are responsible for a lot of staff. I always want to make sure that they are taken care of before I am taking care of number one, as I do not want to be viewed as selfish and I always feel I can handle it. What I am learning is this tough gal exterior is actually more harmful than helpful and needs to be balanced with a level of self care that inspires the staff from a living role modelling, not a belief system.
That is something I would say is the next step I have yet taken, after a rough sleep to stop and ask how it happened. Making the space to stop and feel situations is so much more effective than mentally claiming ‘I won’t do that again’. Thank you.
Committing to life is in fact simple and joy-full if you understand that all is energy and therefore everything is because of energy and in that rejoin the scientists, philosopher and the religious man.
Indeed Adam, committing to life has many aspects and it all comes down to our connection with that grand order we are part of, the order we can call the Universe or God and are undeniably part of. When we leave this connection out of the equation we have committed to a human life that is creating its own reality and where we spoil ourselves with the creations of the indulging and restless mind.
Such a great line”But when I choose to commit to life in full, the energy I feel in my body is very different – it is loving, solid and light.” This is so true and I too have felt this in my body. When something is very hard, or laborious, not free flowing and light, there is a reason, committing in full can have that affect, when we are not committing in full, it can feel like a drag. It is up to us to listen and feel what it is for us and go with things when it is light and flowing.
In the past I use to associate commitment with restriction but that is almost the opposite to what true commitment allows for. There is a freedom in choosing the quality of energy we let run our bodies and go about life in. It is not a decision we make with the mind, it takes a full presence with the body also. We commit to ourselves before we can commit to anything other.
Commitment has to come from the body not the head.
It is powerful to recognise that commitment begins with ourselves and a commitment to be present in our body, to care for and love ourselves deeply and to bring this forth without holding back to the world at large.
I have read your blog almost every day for the past month and it has been an incredible journey. Today what stands out for me the most is the connection you made between the unloving energy that was chosen through lack of commitment and the way you felt unstable in your body. I can see that your choice to get honest about your relationship with commitment allowed you to see the link between these things. Today I find myself feeling unstable and lightheaded and I too know that I have allowed an energy to affect my body through a choice I have made.
Commitment to ourself is far, far from selfish. It is actually working with yourself to create the circumstances within, so that when it is called for you can be there for another on a level much deeper than before. Dedicating and committing to ourself is the ultimate act of our love for everyone (we just are choosing to include ourself in there with the rest of us).
What you share about commiting to feeling yourself and your body when talking to people and not getting caught up in what your are saying or concerned in what the other person or group may think, this is s great point. To be connecting with ourselves on this level is connecting to all of who we are and creates space to feel our inner essence and to let this be
Commitment to life is like saying, “Hello, I am here, this is me and i have so much to offer, I will bring this into every aspect of my life”. I’m not here to hide away, withdraw, not physically but energetically. I have lived holding back from life and as I started to build my commitment, life became a playground rather than hard work.
Another example of “it all starts with self”. I thought I was committed to life, i have worked hard, got a lot of things done. But with support from Simple-Living Global and Universal Medicine I began to understand that my doing was just a way to look like I was committed to life. I understand now that I have to be committed to myself first in order to be truly committed to life.
As I read this blog today I became aware of the fact that I often compare my level of commitment to the commitment demonstrated by others around me in order to measure how uncommitted I can be and still get away with it. For example, if everyone at work gets in just on time or late, I will feel comfortable doing the same, yet if everyone else gets in an hour early I will feel the need to do this also, not from true commitment but from self protection and preservation.
Every time I read this blog I am inspired to listen to my body, I allow myself to feel my hands and feet and I become aware of the way I am breathing. I can feel that the momentum I have run myself with does not like this awareness at all but my body absolutely adores the space it is held in when I allow myself to be aware.
And this basically explains very much when it comes to why we are unwell and it also shows that our body has a purpose. A purpose being a committed piece of a bigger whole.
Commitment to life means being committed to absolutely everything that we do, but not only that it is being committed to bringing ourselves to everything that we do. It does not work if we are committed in one area and not in all areas because it is all the one life.
I always thought commitment was a commitment to what we do, yet I have come to learn that commitment is to energetic awareness and choosing the type of energy that we align to and is therefore part of everything we do. In this way something we do could look very similar from the outside but the quality can be vastly different depending on the energy we are choosing.
Commitment to life is so important I smiled as I read your words ‘But when I choose to commit to life in full, the energy I feel in my body is very different – it is loving, solid and light.’ I have found this too, and when I don’t choose to commit to life I feel exhausted.
I must agree Sally Cranwell – Child when we commit to life, the simplicity in which we can live our life is in contrast to the overwhelm and anxiety driven world we live in today.
The fact that we have made the meaning of commitment to be entirely based on what we do and not the quality of who we are reflects markedly on what we have chosen to live by as a human race.
Good point Alex – there is mostly ‘no commitment’ or ‘full commitment’, but the possibility to deepen the commitment we already live till then. Here it goes on and on – till absoluteness. And then we will see. And it is of course also the question, what I am committed to ?…
It is not selfish to commit to yourself and to life, for I have found when I commit, everything is there that I need.
The energy of true commitment is very powerful. With no drive or push it is an absoluteness that carries us forward in the joy of all that we do.
Commitment is such a powerful step. It can literally make or break nearly everything in our lives. I have been learning so much about commitment and what it truly means lately, and it is much farther reaching in my life than I had ever truly realised.
Not at all Mary I am standing right beside you. Hear! Hear!
My understanding of commitment has changed so much thanks to me being a Student of The Livingness as presented by Serge Benhayon.
This is so relevant Steve, as you so clearly point out starting with self in every way is important. For me that meant being gentle with myself first, which is still the case in some areas of my life. As I become more aware I am finding more and more things that can be committed to in full.
My feeling is some what the same Mary, I have many things in life that I am now committed to and a whole lot more that are a work in progress. In all honesty if I was fully committed on every level then I would bring a lot more light to every situation.
‘When I don’t commit to every aspect of my life in full, I allow unloving energy to enter.’ If we feel we are cowering from a task by bringing the love back to ourselves and everyone else the task doesn’t seem so daunting after all. If we stay with love, love stays with us.
Running the energy of commitment and love in our bodies. What a great way to look at the choice of energy we have?
We all have experienced this…”When I don’t commit to every aspect of my life in full, I allow unloving energy to enter.” When we do not take full responsibility for how we are and feel, we allow moods, reactions and behaviours to engulf us. We have all felt that in anger, sadness, excitement, some how out of control of ourselves. When we do not observe how we feel we allow energy / moods / emotions to enter that do not support us. Lets talk about energy, life is made of it, matter is made of it and the whole universe is made of it….our eyes are not the only way we can recognise what is real, we can feel.
We could be involved in many things, but it doesn’t mean that we are committed to life – this is such a great revelation, and a very poignant one for me right now. I have been quite busy lately with many project work and I thought I was being organized and juggling them pretty well, but actually, there was this niggling feeling that something was a bit off. Your sharing has invited me to come to the honesty to feel how unsettled and racy I am actually at the moment and how hard it is for me to focus on smallest and simplest task – and it’s all because of the choice that I am not making, and I can always start choosing differently.
Learning to commit to life in full is learning the true depths of what we hold within that we can share with the world – and the more we share without reservation, the more the joy and the truth comes forth for all.
There are many layers to commitment to life. From not being able to get out of bed onwards. Even when we work 70+ hours a week there are still further layers, and sometimes more than a few layers, to discover.
This is awesome to read. Life doesn’t just happen to us. A terrible day at work? If I’m honest it’s only terrible because somewhere I decided to check out, lose myself, my quality and allow what’s not love in to feel crushed at the end of the day. At any moment I can reclaim myself, clean up any mess I’ve created, accept this process as a beautiful opportunity to feel the order I can bring to life and start afresh, no catching up to do just be and accept.
True commitment to life sees no part of life as less than any other part. Every part is of equal importance when we bring our love to it in full.
Breaking things down into doable sizes and looking after myself is part of commitment for me that was missing. I would jump into the doing and not feel the quality of my energy in that activity. Which left me feeling empty and craving recognition.
Yes, doing can be a great way to numb ourselves. It enormously matter how we do what we do.
‘Leading a committed life now means for me to be fully committed to myself first, knowing there is nothing selfish about that. What this means is that I make it my priority to honour what I feel, treating my body with respect and care, as I would my best friend, and listening intently to what it is telling me. The commitment to the things I do is equally important, but always comes second.’ I got caught out last week as I put the things that I considered had to be done in front of my care for my body and I injured my shoulder and neck. The pain was excruciating and I was not able to do very much at all for a while. A great lesson in not charging ahead from our heads but feeling what needs to be done and letting the intelligence come from the body and moving in a quality that supports us in this.
I can see that the level of commitment I choose has a huge impact on whatever task I may need to do. When you wrote about answering emails I instantly thought of the times I failed to thoroughly check an email before sending it and the complication this caused. If I know the true purpose behind my actions and commit 100% there is no room for mistakes and my body feels great.
The more I say yes to taking on greater commitments the more energy I have and the more space opens up to get what is needed done.
“when I choose to commit to life in full, the energy I feel in my body is very different – it is loving, solid and light.” this a great marker for us all to take note of. I know for me it does feel the same, when I am not feeling this way, it ask myself why? and that opens the doorway for me to ask more questions and bring more awareness to what I am feeling.
Your right the quality of our bodies when we are committed and loving is very different to the quality when we are checked out and allowing any energy to run through us. The curious and complication that I can bring in to avoid this simple fact is quite something. As with everything it is ultimately about responsibility.
It is not the doing of tasks that determines how ‘committed’ we are but our living quality and if we are bringing our all, in full to what is before us.
I know how I can easily fool myself and be fooled in life. I have made decisions at the time, only to find they were incorrect later. The connection to myself I have been learning in recent years brings me a clarity to support myself, by asking my body whether the decision feels right or not at the time. This comes with a commitment to myself, a care for myself and a trust, so there is no right or wrong, but a commitment and a connection to myself and my choices.
Your blog shows us that committing to life is not just ticking the ‘to do’ list of achieving ambitions, benchmarks etc, but equally, it includes paying attention or ensuring there is a relationship / commitment with ourselves, with love and bringing this into what ever we do. If theres no commitment to ourselves (love), then everything is done with that missing piece (self-love) that makes it feel incomplete.
So simple really Johanne, what you share makes so much sense: ‘ If theres no commitment to ourselves (love), then everything is done with that missing piece (self-love) that makes it feel incomplete’.
To me, withdrawal from life is the ultimate attempt at protection from harm. I have found that whenever I try to protect myself I am actually closed off from all that is on offer from the world. I shut down and in that shutting down I am no longer in the world. If I am not in the world, then what is the point to life?
‘I also found that really paying attention to how I felt in my body when talking with people supported me to stay connected to myself’ this is a great reminder of the simple way to stay connected is through feeling our bodies, it can be through gently touching everything with awareness or simply tuning in to how our feet feel on the floor, or how our back is feeling (tense or relaxed), where our shoulders are in relation to our ears. When we feel into ourselves we can feel much more what the other person is truly saying and it can take conversations to a deeper level of understanding.
Commitment to life has so many levels and how you approached it is awesome and simple, just keep the focus on your body and go with that. I detect the more I feel myself and that It is me who is doing the things I do the more I get aware of the energies which are there to disturb the presence I have chosen.
Commitment at work is a great and important topic; I find that not being committed and bringing me fully is a slippery slope that engenders more of itself and feels terrible at the end of the day. It is as though there had been an absence and that leaves a feeling of emptiness and futility, hopelessness even.
So true Gabriele, and also I feel my day has not completed for there is more to be done. On the other hand when I am committed no matter how much I seemingly get done in a day, I feel complete in myself.
It is interesting to hear that you snacked less when you committed to being committed – it feels like a gap had been filled by being committed that would have otherwise made you believe that you needed something to eat. Thank you for this insight.
Commitment is one that we can so easily try to avoid because when we do life is simple and easy. There is a natural joy in what we are doing because as you so clearly share that when we are committed to feeling and being all of us then it is an obvious expression to take this in all that we do. We can’t have commitment in one area of our lives and not in another, it simple can’t exist.
The lack of commitment to ‘what is needed to be done’ goes with me whole of my life. When I was younger my room was a mess and I still work on tidy up ALL, till completed. My lack of commitment to work changed immense since I study with Universal Medicine and I did go from a half-time job with a lot of illnesses/free-times to full-time, or rather two jobs plus some voluntary work and more private meetings. More and more I get an understanding that there is no difference between ‘private’ and ‘work’ – all is energy and so how I am is going in everything I do, even just hanging around. It needs a lot of denying and avoiding to not feel what is needed to be done and there are many substances and behaviors which ‘support’ us here to do so. This substances and behaviors are not going well with our body, natural rhythms and our natural longing for intimacy, but we so often spent our time by dealing with the result of taking/doing them instead of going for the root-causes. This morning I had a beautiful session where I was supported to reconnect more deeply with my being and through some body-work I felt how much I have the impulse to lead every movement from my head, to control it and to achieve something successful. While the session I could more and more surrender to the flow and rhythm I am naturally in and let the movement be unfold by my rhythm and from my heart.
I had to cry. Be it by avoiding or working hard – I always so much in the belief I have to achieve something, but know I feel how it is to surrender to what I am, what is there inside and let it just expand in its expression. So simple. But I have to let go all of the identification, the idea of control and … my guards. I feel vulnerable and powerful at the same time. Through true commitment I feel held and supported. And I see that true commitment is not ‘giving’ something but surrender what is there anyway and to not be in the way anymore. And the flow can flow; with me in it and supporting it. I am a part of The All, take my place and so…life makes sense again.
Thank you Sandra this was so beautiful to read.
And without presence how can we fully commit?
‘I also found that really paying attention to how I felt in my body when talking with people supported me to stay connected to myself’. A super and practical tip for me as I have been observing how I can be feeling so with myself in the early mornings, and then as soon as I come into contact with people and open my mouth, I can so easily lose myself when speaking with others, because I automatically calibrate – an old habit of mine that needs now to be fully cut.
There is a huge depth to the understanding of commitment. A willingness to be totally present so no little thing goes by that can create an opportunity for an unloving energy to wheedle it’s way in. We are not only totally capable of this responsibility we are also absolutely worthy of the magic that is waiting when we do.
I love the description you have to choosing not to disappear int o a computer screen, but to stay present in you body. That makes huge difference to how being on the computer affects you.
“I resisted the work that was there to do as I thought of it as boring and arrogantly considered myself too good for it.” How many times have I resisted whatever is before me? Certainly too many to count… little wonder why I have often felt that life was just plain hard work. Perhaps I have been resisting life itself. Commitment is inseparable from purpose. When we connect to the reason we are here we can only commit. Serge Benhayon has reminded me of my purpose and this has inspired me to commit to life in ways I never imagined possible.
If only one day we would wake up and see this purpose, then perhaps we could finally commit. But what if we all do already know absolutely and without doubt everything we are here to do and the nature of our power? And what if this knowing freaks us out? It seems to me like we do our best to hide our purpose like a coin down the back of the sofa. Trying to wrestle it out can seem like a painful exercise. But this blog and your words Leonne remind me, that this restoration and recovery of purpose, is so worth it.
There are so many ways we can withdraw from life so I found the practical steps of committing to our bodies by a short walk each day very grounding and insightful.
Committing to life in full truly supports us and in turn others.
As a working mother of three young children, i have found that when I prepare things in advance for myself it supports me enormously, like packing for work the day before and encouraging the children to also have their school kit ready – these seemingly small things are a sure confirmation of our commitment to life and the support we are offering ourselves to move through our day with ease.
A great exposure here of how we actually ‘set ourselves up’ for the quality that we bring to our day. Commitment and self-responsibility for our choices making the difference to the day flowing harmoniously or not and then often blaming everyone else 🙂 for our discontent and disconnection.
“I had an awful day at work; actually and more correctly, I chose to have an awful day at work by choosing to not commit”.
Commitment is not telling people what to do.
So true Gyl, when I commit to myself in full I know who I am and therefore that everyone else is my equal and has their own lessons in life, so in no way can I tell anyone else ‘what to do’ that would be a judgment.
Such simple practical steps that make sense in order to re-commit to life through being more present with the body and developing a deeper level of awareness. Something that anyone can choose to incorporate into their daily life to re-develop to a strong inner foundation.
“One of the seemingly simple exercises I did to support all this was going for a ten minute walk every day. I began with focussing only on feeling my hands and my feet as I walked as a way to support myself to develop conscious presence”.
So simple and so inspiring – this blog just tells it how it is – energetically. No wonder there is an epidemic of depression and exhaustion worldwide, when we are not fully our selves in all that we do there is a drag this put on the body and the being that we can never be free from until we fully commit to life.
Commitment really is an extraordinary word… it conjures up so much, countless people are allergic to it, it represents constriction for many, and yet within its essence is true freedom.
We can withdraw from life, attempting to be free from whatever is seemingly to painful to deal with. However, it is only in committing to bringing our fullness to life that we are able to truly live.
True. We can choose to exist or to live – only that life is calling us, because its the true way of being and so, the tension we will feel more and more by existing will bring us uncomfortableness up to suffering to desperation…we may be able to stay for a while in a comfortable, numb state of existing, but sooner or later the pain does come. The pain of not truly living.
The more l commit to life the more energy l am given.
An inspiring article to not accept any part of life that doesn’t feel joyful and light.
This line really stood out for me ” I chose to have an awful day at work by choosing to not commit.” I know for me, when I am not committing in full at work, I can get really easily distracted, want to eat foods that are not supportive and what results is I am not bringing all that I can for all those around me. So commitment is super important and being aware of how that commitment plays out for each of us, every day.
Withdrawing from life is quite common in our society – you can still function and tick the boxes, have a job and a family and a house and a dog etc etc. But if your heart is not fully in it, if you are not totally there with an understanding of your purpose in life, then there is an absence of full commitment.
Why would we withdraw though? Why give up on life and give up on having your heart fully in it?
Sometimes we get hurt in life, deeply hurt, and we may not have the support to help us overcome the hurt. Sometimes we may need to be reminded of what our true purpose is here, that it is not about us, per se, but about all of us. The world is not set up in a way that helps us to overcome these hurts, nor to remind us of our purpose when we forget. Thankfully, many of us have come across the work of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, which to me has been an amazing and constant reminder of what I have/hold to bring to the world and this has helped me remember the purpose and hence to come back to working on my commitment more and more. It seems in this process I have discovered that commitment is on-going deepening, and a very fulfilling experience indeed.
For me consistency is key, as I could think I was committing, but it wasn’t 24/7. Staying true to myself with every little thing, not just the big ones, has opened my eyes to what true commitment is all about. Still a work in progress, as I now have the knowledge but not yet commitment in full. Choices, choices….
Oh these little ‘thought monsters’ that entice us so – “I did not work with 100% dedication and I secretly started sending out and answering private emails and doing personal things for myself.” I know them well too and thank you for naming them so now I can be more vigilant with these ones too.
This is a great point (one of many in your blog of course)- “Another thing – and there was quite a list – was when I was sitting behind a computer, was to not ‘disappear’ into the screen. Always feeling my body, whatever part that might be.” I am also feeling my body more and more when at the PC as I spend a considerable time on it due to work. I have also learnt to listen what the body says when working, do I need to shift my posture, is it time to get up and walk, stretch, hydrate – and I have found by doing this it does make a difference to the way I feel at the end of the day too.
Why is it that I am so often at the bottom of the pile? I will get to dealing with me when I’ve completed the never ending list of things that need doing. Recently, I’ve been reversing this a little and starting with me first and I found myself feeling more joyful and on top of my work as a result.
I find that reflecting back to how I was a few years ago brings great appreciation for what I have chosen to change over the years and inspiration for the next step. Commitment to life and learning has been really key.
Appreciation is an essential element in this Matilda – beautifully shared! If we leave this out of the equation, our usual tendency is to actually negate ourselves, and look for the ‘wrong’ we are doing, the ‘less’, where we are ‘not enough’… My how that catholic imposition of us being ‘miserable sinners’ permeates our thinking and societies…
Appreciation, in its true light, actually turns all of this on its head. Every foundational step we take is golden, and thus able to form a solid platform from which to yes, go deeper, discover and explore more of who we are, and how this can express in this world.
Being prepared to have an honest look at my commitment to life has opened my eyes to many areas that I try to get away with not being committed… and to what end? A mess at the end of the day; the need for some comfort food or attention from someone; a sense of self-disgust for the apathy I have chosen…
What I do know is that when I choose commitment I feel more alive, inspired, engaged, purposeful and joyful about life. A no-brainer really… so simply about breaking old habits.
For me, lacking commitment at work has often left me tired and demotivated – I’ll turn to snacking, surfing the web and generally just checking out. And all of this is based on a choice that I make over and over – a choice not to connect. It’s not a surprise how amazing it feels to connect, how motivated I am and how work doesn’t feel like work.
Being committed to self, means also being committed to service of others, for in your connection to self, you offer all of that to everyone you meet.
This blog offers a totally different way to look at things; if we find that we’ve had ‘an awful day at work’ or at school, home, university and so forth, we can first look at how we’ve chosen to be during that time and the quality of our movements/actions, and THEN look at the effect that has had on our day.
The true quality of life is in the details “From here I started to re-commit to life, starting with some simple, practical things.” I can feel that in my observation of life, when I am aware of the small things, life flows and I am much more committed to life.
I really love this blog and it’s practical application of what it means to be committed.
I love the exposing of the moments we figure we get away with indulging and slacking off, everything is recorded and the consequences come back to be felt in the body and reflected in our lives.
We can definitely fool ourselves into thinking we are travelling okay and involved in life. We may be involved, but are we fully committed, with all of us present?
Yes it makes sense that commitment has not only to do with what we put out and do but about the quality we do things in. True commitment starts with ourselves first, in making sure that we are fully taking care of ourselves first and being totally present in the work we do so we bring a fullness to all that we do, isn’t that what we all have been asking for?
My experience is that if I am willing to look at the quality of the way I live and consistently keep checking in, my body is equally willing to communicate back to me on a whole new level.
The more committed I am to reading energy, the more I seem to be able to read. I love how it all goes hand in hand.
I agree – it is great fun and quite novel to feel our body while doing something and it leaves us far less tired in my experience.
In my experience a bad day at work is often an indicator of something that happened beforehand – that morning or, more likely, the day or evening before and once I become aware of the cause, much of the ‘bad’ part simply vanishes. At other times I am simply feeling open and vulnerable but more so than I am comfortable with so that everything that happens becomes too much. If I realise it is one of those days, I shift a gear and things become much easier. In my experience the most important thing is to be aware of what is happening and why.
I love the way that you committed to life to become more attentive to your body. This is not what people would necessarily think of when trying to commit. It is commitment to you in life, rather than just commitment to life.
Interesting observation Joseph. I work shifts with schedules that take me away from home several weeks at a time. I now see that on the occasions when I look ahead to when the shift ends or start counting down the days is an example of already leaving the party before its started.
It’s the consistency of what we do in our commitments, that makes commitment work its wonders.
The word commitment is coming up for me a lot lately, so I have been reflecting on how this affects me. I have also noticed sometimes I have been quick to judge others if I feel there is a lack of commitment in them. This feels awful for myself and the person I judge. So, I have been looking at my relationship with commitment. It stood out that I am able to commit more easily to people and to things that involves group work but when it comes to committing to myself, the consistency isn’t always there. So, learning to appreciate the areas I am really committed to and know I can apply the same quality and consistency in commitment to all areas of my life, this is very supportive. Also, to allow the space for others to come to their own understanding and journey with commitment. I am learning to, instead of going into frustration and judgement, I can choose to reflect love, understanding and appreciation to others.
This is revelatory!…”all of the choices I make, the quality of energy I choose to do them in, and whether I am fully committed or not, has an impact on my work, my energy levels, my relationships, my body, other people… on everything…” No-one or anything one does is insignificant. ALL of it has an effect on everything.
This is huge Joseph – I can see this is true for me also. How strange that human beings fight for the same life we are constantly running from. The fact we are always trying to escape shows that we know that we are much more than flesh and bone, that heaven is our home. The way back is through a commitment to life not an avoidance of it.
“The commitment to the things I do is equally important, but always comes second” this is a new concept for me. The idea that something can be both equal and second. An important clarification as it shows me that my relationship with my body is the key to choosing loving Energy.
It is fair to say that we can go through the motions and be doing life and not be committed to anything. I was definitely doing that I could say that that was a survival mechanism that I had developed to get through life even to be successful I could share just the right amount of myself. I could also completely lose myself in an activity – like mothering, I could research and read anything and everything about parenting, the perfect swim school, playgroup etc. but there was a complete overriding of myself in those choices. There was happiness but no true joy and there was an underlying emptiness that never left. Committing to life for me has not been about perfection or getting it right but committing to having myself fully present in whatever it is that I am doing.
This is awesome to read. These last few days I’ve had to complete a lot of computer work at work and an old pattern of thinking I need a break to feel me again and looking into the future to when my next day off is came in. I felt so, so heavy as a result. A lead weight of non-commitment entered and thoughts of how can I get back to myself and vague panic ensued. But actually it’s to let go of time and accept I cannot make up for things already being out of deadline; an acceptance that I had not known about a specific rule at work because I was not told about it to plan for it revealing another pattern of mine to undermine my authority and dedication: trying to make up for lost time by going into overdrive and losing myself and my quality. And for taking on other’s lack of communication and take on their responsibility in the situation without simply being honest about mine and the next steps to address this in a natural way knowing that actually all is in sync and taken care of.
Commitment is a whole, energetic package that relates to the totality of life- there are many levels and layers and we each choose as to how deeply we will commit in every moment and whether we will commit in one area of life and not in others.
It is such a beautiful foundation to build our own presence and it takes an ongoing commitment knowing that we hold everything we need within us by how we move and express through life.
Recently I heard Serge Benhayon present that we are all constantly ‘campaigning’ for one type of energy or another. Because we need energy to do, think or say anything, we are always aligned or committed to some form of energy. It is energetically impossible to not be. So really we are never not committed to energy and we are not the innocent victims of life we sometimes claim to be. The question then is, what are we in fact committed to? And have we fully discerned the quality of the energy that we are committing ourselves to?
That is precisely right. It is also being prepared to have fun and be joyful doing any of these things. Furthermore it is to be ready to work at a capacity and level of responsibility we are capable of and for many of us that is a far higher level than we are used to.
I found that commitment to life is a choice – a choice to be love in my expression, to be open to receive love and appreciation and to appreciate myself. This is not easy in the beginning but over time the change is quite dramatic.
It’s a bit scary, but we can go through life not completely committed, but turning up at A and B and functioning. Committing in full is about committing to the all, then it so nice bits and the good bits too.
We have been sold a notion that committing to life is related to our productivity levels when this is but a mere fraction of what it is really about. We have even associated quality of output with the physical quality of what is produced. But all these fall short of the mark when true energetic quality is the marker of true commitment.
Beautifully said Joshua – we are looking at the wrong charts and graphs in every way when it comes to living life. Indeed, imagine if we assessed all things based on quality not quantity of productivity.
As soon as I go into any kind of judgement on something/someone, there goes my commitment to me, as if I am not with myself in what I am doing, I haven’t in that moment committed to love.
A very wise man I know once offered a reflection on a piece of music I’d written. He said it was clear and true, that it held the essence of who I am – qualities I now hold as integral in the delivery of music… Yet the most powerful thing that he said, was that it didn’t hold ‘my all’.
What an opening into committing to life, and what it may actually mean, this offered me. For how could any one thing I did (including writing/singing/playing a piece of music), actually hold ‘my all’, if my life in general was not lived in and from my all. And so I gradually found my way in terms of what truly committing may mean – one awesome and continuing journey, and one that if chosen, rapidly reveals that committing to life is not at all about oneself, it is about everyone.
We all deserve to receive the greatness of everyone’s ‘all’. Of that I have not one iota of doubt.
I have now come to understand the word commitment as a loving and supportive way to live life. When we live life in a way that is light and life embracing we bring quite a different energy to what we are doing, as we bring our beingness to whatever we undertake. For me this is a work in progress – but I am beginning to feel the huge changes that are happening as I can feel more clarity and sense in the way I am living.
I am working on commitment in my own life and I am inspired by the way you approached your turn around. When we uncover something about ourselves that requires addressing it can be quite easy to judge ourselves and go into reaction. You show that any ship can be turned around lovingly and gently through simple everyday choices.
All too often we get caught up in going through the motions of life to varying degrees of ‘success” in the eyes of others and sometimes even fooling ourselves until we truly reconnect with our authentic self and feel the integrity of expressing from our inner heart.
I loved reading about the way you were affected when you slacked off at work. In my experience it seems to be socially accepted to attempt to get away with doing the bare minimum at work, in fact many see it as a form of self preservation, I know that I have. You show that we do not get away with anything, in fact we cause ourselves harm when we do not commit to ourselves and what we do.
We all know or have known someone that on the outside their life was perfect and then a list of incidents happen that makes their life a house of cards that from the outside look substantial but lack a solid foundation. When we commit our energy to things outside of us are we not building a house of cards to impress and compete with others? Is our life just a reflection of where we invest ourselves? The volatile hedge funds or our own bricks and mortar, I now know the answer to this question!
My body never stops communicating with me and when I listen I appreciate the absence of exhaustion at the end of the day.
This is so inspiring to honestly consider where I am not committed to life. There will always be aspects that call to be deepened and to go for it with good friend’s support is truly rewarding.
The first feeling we feel is usually the best. We therefore set ourselves up to not commit when we do not commit to the first feeling.
Seeing so many people who are amazing in their work at supporting others – like teachers, nurses, doctors etc but who do not first commit to themselves. Farmers, doctors and dentists have the highest suicide rate. So what is the point of committing to others without self care and commitment to self. It’s not selfish, but of vital importance. If we don’t treat ourselves with love and nurturing how can we say we truly care for others?
‘it took some weeks to fully admit this unpleasant truth.’ The joy of having friends who are energetically aware is that, if they feel confident to express, we hear anothers observations on the truth of how we are living – we may not see it for ourselves immediately and we may react to their words, but when truth is expressed with love, and we allow ourselves to listen and explore, it can help us to evolve.
‘ I also found that really paying attention to how I felt in my body when talking with people supported me to stay connected to myself – which was not my usual way as I tended to focus my attention on the other person or people I was with, or just lose myself in the story I was telling.’ Some really useful sharings on how to stay present and commit. This point has also supported me to keep working on presence when I am in the company of others.
I love your honesty about how you felt writing your own personal emails and dealing with your own stuff in work hours is not right. I wonder how many people do this feeling they are getting away with it when in truth they are draining their energy by not committing and leaving themselves more exhausted and out of sorts at the end of the day. I can also apply this to my work as I work from home by making my discipline not to deal with any of the household admin during working hours and I imagine my productivity would increase tenfold if I fully committed.
One the points from this article that I find illuminating is how we can think we are committed to something but that then when our awareness deepens we realise we had not been. It is not that it was not true at the time; it was just that our awareness was not as great. We were being honest with where we were but not, in fact, in Truth.
I find the same that commitment means an ever deepening. I know I have always strived for the best and have been committed until that point – ie. I get there then stop, take time out, want to reward myself etc.. but what if that picture I created was far from the depths of love that I am. I know the deeper I go the deeper the love I feel is and so there is no end rather a forever deepening of love. And the best part is I just have to surrender to it as it is all here rather than feeling I need to go out and somehow get love.
What really is a commitment to life is a great question, I know I used to think it was giving life everything however I’ve been learning that committing to life is more than just embracing it in full, it’s about my quality every moment of the day, my choice to constantly be deepening the way I live and my relationship with myself – there’s so much more to it than I first thought.
“I began with focussing only on feeling my hands and my feet as I walked as a way to support myself to develop conscious presence.” This seems such a simple exercise but it is quite surprising just how quickly our attention can veer off on to ‘much more interesting’ things rather than really feeling and connecting to the quality we are moving with and taking responsibility for this quality. After all, how we walk when we go to work, how we walk when we get home, how we walk when inside our houses can be immensely different. To establish a one consistent, steady quality in the way we walk truly supports us to develop a steady consistent energy within us that emerges whatever we are doing, a dependable quality that other people can really feel and appreciate.
When we commit to life our whole day changes focus, I am now so much more committed then ever I was before and it feels amazing. There is still much that needs working on but from where I was to where I am now is huge and all thanks to the amazing ageless wisdom teachings.
This is so simple yet so profound, because of how openly and honestly it was shared. Reading this I can feel how often in my day I’m in thoughts in my head planning things or doing my own activities on my phone when I should instead be connecting with where I am or what I’m meant to be doing. I never considered this to be a lack of commitment to life and the cause of feeling fatigued but this is exactly what it is. This so easy to turn around, by choosing to be with everything that I’m doing and not having ‘out’ moments. Thank you for such an inspiring and truthful blog!
Everyday is an experience for me to honour my deepening connection to my soul and commit deeply to being with whatever I am doing while I am doing it so as to not get lost in the doing!
Key point Greg – “… to not get lost in the doing”. Something I can also work on more now, truly feeling my connection with my self and the commitment that brings with it in all I do and am.
This is a great blog as you show how easy it is to be withdrawn and committed at the same time… It may ‘look’ like one is participating in life, work, family friends etc but how much of ourselves do we really open up engage and share with others? The commitment to the relationship within ourselves, to love, at some point goes beyond the boundaries of our body and is shoed with others.
I thought I was committed to life, but finally realised that I was in complete comfort and withdrawal. Since then the last five years have been a steep learning curve in what it is to be committed. I am still learning.
I have also found that if I don’t commit to work and stay present, even with the most boring of tasks, I can have the most dreadful day with a lot of things going wrong but if I am present and committed my day flows much smoother and is a lot more enjoyable.
Without the full commitment that you speak about here, we do not offer the full quality that we know we are capable of. And as you say we and others may think we are doing a “good job” because we have ticked all the boxes, but we can’t fool our body that will feel and suffer the consequences of the discrepancy. Also in my experience in the more honest moments there is the realisation that we were not fooled either, we too could always sense something isn’t right deep down.
‘I make it my priority to honour what I feel, treating my body with respect and care, as I would my best friend, and listening intently to what it is telling me.’ – There is no one else we spend more time with than ourselves so it makes a lot of sense to treat ourselves like a very precious friend and listen to the response we get.
When we are feeling out of sorts, its good to pause and track back to where the disharmony could have started. This is something I have been practicing. Its normally an unloving choice, e.g. to go to bed later that then has a knock on effect on other choices I make.
We think if no one is watching that we can get away with things, but it all catches up with us in the end. When we do things half-heartedly it’s draining and we actually suffer and then have to deal with the consequences. No one wins.
When we focus on the end result alone and not the quality it is done with we are not fully committing to life. Only quality can truly deliver a full and whole rounded way of being.
Lately, I have come to a deeper understanding of what being committed to my body really means. It means loving my body enough to care about how my choices impact on it. For a long time I have played small and not lived the full power and potency of who I am. This has had a consequence for the body, so what is required now is to let my body show me another way to live where I am totally letting myself be myself.
Commitment to me is constantly making self-loving choices, without feeling indulgent or selfish. Like many of us, I was always thinking of others first. But that has got me nowhere in life, only lonely and frustrated and maybe a little resentful. Once I started committing to working on being gentle with myself by being more consciously present with the little things I do throughout the day, I began to feel a love for myself that I havn’t felt before because I am listening to my body and not just doing what my mind has habitually done for a very long time.
“I still believed I delivered good results. Basically I thought I could get away with this” this is something that I think will resonate with many of us, we think we can get away with things. We manipulate the situation of how we are, what we do in such a way that we can convince ourself we are doing great work yet in truth there is many things missing – including the quality of the work. For me I’ve seen this in comparison and justification to convince myself I am doing great. The problem is its a lie and then means I don’t truly appreciate the greatness that I am.
Energy is in every moment. There’s never a moment that we don’t choose energy. The commitment and choice is to what energy we choose to align. For me it’s still a process of accepting that I’ve not lived me for most of my life. I’ve made my own choices to do so, but boy oh boy does the magic come back with every (little or big) step I take (choose, has been given, accept). There’s magic all around us, we’re only to connect to ourselves and life will teach us, step by step. Until we make the choice to simply be with our Soul all of the time to serve our fellow brothers and sisters.
I was really able to feel yesterday the difference in my body when I was going through the motions of an activity compared to being really present with another one. When going through the motions I felt drained. When I was present with the other one, bringing all my heart and love to it, my body changed and became far more energised!
Indeed there is nothing selfish about committing to looking after ourselves and making choices that support us. Living this way allows us to commit in full to other things, including our families, friends and the rest of humanity, so looking after ourselves actually allows us to greater support and reflect to others.
What a great friend it is to be able to deliver such observation to you. One that in effect allowed you to explore commitment and the joy it now brings you.
I totally agree Alison. Without the honesty and really understanding where we are at then where are we moving forward from and with what?
‘But when I choose to commit to life in full, the energy I feel in my body is very different – it is loving, solid and light.’ I can relate Diane. For me choosing to commit and walking with that holds an absoluteness and an authority of living my power. It does feel completely different in the body.
The power we all have is incredible and the reflections that are happening every nano second of every day is beyond imagination. So when we have reflections from people that are fully committed to life and being all that they Are we have truth being presented. What you share so beautifully is that when we embrace the support around us and commit to ourselves many doors open and then we have another point of light reflection such grandness and how possible it really is.
It is beautiful that if we make our body the marker of what is true we cannot fool ourselves anymore that when nobody sees us doing something, it does not happens. Like the sending out private emails at work etc. even if nobody sees it, the body still experiences the lack of commitment and will show this in one way or the other by tension or tiredness for instance. Our body is really a great gift to measure our life with.
You make a great point in this blog that we can be committed to doing things, projects, activities and even family, friends etc on one level and it can all look the part, but if we are not committed to being connected to our bodies and therefore being the real us in every situation then who is it actually doing all these things? And how committed are we really if we are not being who we are in full in life? I know in my life I have become very good at looking the part and being responsible by being committed to doing lots of things and seeing things through, getting things done, being successful, being reliable etc, but at the same time have lived a lot of my life withdrawn or protected from others and not allowing anyone to see the real me. So committing to life for me these days means being transparent, open, vulnerable and real wherever I can in whatever I am doing. A work in progress to be sure…
Isn’t it incredibly loving when another speaks truth to support us on our path. It may be uncomfortable at first and this I have found but as we let go of any resistance and surrender we can choose to make different choices that will support us and change our lives.
I have a photograph of me taken at a festival about twenty years ago. It is clear to see that I stand with my head in the clouds totally disconnected from my body which is lifeless. This photograph symbolised my emotional state and complete disconnection with self and life at that time, It has taken years to break that head/body divide and bring all of me into being, always.
How super blessed we all are to have friends and companions who don’t hold back and will express honestly what they feel from our bodies. Without their initial and truthful reflections on your lack of commitment you would have remained unaware, and stuck. From there the choice and journey was yours to feel and become consciously aware of how you were living and the changes needed to bring you back. Your examples of simple and steady self loving steps you took to re-commit to self will inspire others who are in life, but not fully committed to it.
When we chose not to commit, it leaves our door ajar for what ever blows in to occupy the space in our self we left empty, and like mushrooms, things like to grow in the darkness. We are an equal opportunity host, for the energy, we allow in… all from a simple choice.
Today I am inspired to follow your lead and deepen my commitment to myself, my body, and thus others and life. Here goes …
Deepening our commitment to life can start with the very simple and basic act of choosing one thing and doing it with absolute conscious presence. When we lay a foundation that is solid, starting with one thing and completely committing to that, then we can take the next step and then the next and let our commitment build from there.
For me, commitment and purpose go hand in hand. Purpose supports my commitment to life, if my purpose wanes, then so too can my commitment. When I have a strong sense of purpose my commitment is there.
The moment I go to do something just to ‘get it done’ instantly shows me that there is no committment. Sure it might be completed, but rather than it being from our true quality it is a drain on our energy.
I am discovering that the more I choose to surrender to and appreciate the love I am within the more I am committed to honoring this connection in all that I do, through the way I move. This relationship is one that honours my connection to my body, and how it feels with the choices I make, and so honoring the truth I feel. As when this quality is absent in the way I move and live I find that I am driven instead by a force that needs recognition, approval, acceptance from the things that I do rather than loving being all that I am. Our commitment to life comes from our commitment to living the love we are within, as without living love, life is meaningless.
Choosing to see the choices we are making and how that affects everything/everyone is a constant thing, but so worth choosing to observe ourselves in this way, and to catch ourselves when we have stepped away from life and purpose and indulged for ourselves. The feeling in the body from the latter, simply does not compare to making choices from a true inspiration to commit to life and move the body in the grace that impulses that life.
I have been enjoying the part of the day when I start to wain in my energy levels and begin looking for something sweet or distracting to eat, because it is at this time when I realise that there is no real issue here, no actual fatigue, just a slip in my commitment, which I can re-kindle by paying dear sweet attention to the quality that I give to all the details in all the activities that I have next to carry out. And before I know it, my energy has risen back up again and I feel bright and alert. Commitment is huge and massive and a whole scientific study could be just about our intent to commit and how this affects our quality of life.
What a great blog, as I was reading it I began to be more committed to myself and what I am doing at the moment – gorgeous!
What I’m discovering is the consistency I need to have with being committed to life, and how when I’m not consistent, I allow energy in that doesn’t want to play ball with commitment, making life tiresome and me disconnected from the all.
I’ve found that true commitments is being connected to our bodies and live life from the impulses our body shares with us. To rest when it’s tired, to exercise when it wants to, to make a call, to finish a project, to cook a nurturing meal, etc. All could come from our body. We’re to give our body way more credit and appreciation that we’ve chosen as a society so far. And as a result we’re suffering from many unnecessary illnesses and diseases.
Living with commitment has a feeling of depth and solidness to it, its a saying yes to life at every step.
I know that when I do not commit to life in full I feel like I am adrift at sea, without an anchor, and life just seems to happen to me, “But when I choose to commit to life in full, the energy I feel in my body is very different – it is loving, solid and light.” Having felt the difference in these two energies I now have a deeper and more profound commitment to life, in fact I am finally discovering the true meaning of commitment and I am loving all that comes with it, especially a deeper connection to me and to others.
Such simple and practical yet profound ways to make changes that can truly support ourselves.
Commitment is not the same as discipline, commitment comes from deep within and a knowing of what needs to be done, whereas for me, discipline comes laden with a ‘should’ or a ‘must’ do. We can rebel against discipline and give up, but with true commitment, once it is there, there is no going back.
It’s so important what you’ve shared about the difference in how we feel when we commit to life in full, and when we only do to a certain degree and thus leave openings for other thoughts/influences to come in and decide the quality of how we live for us. Leaving those gaps is in essence handing the reigns over to an unknown, which can be a risk.
‘When I was sitting behind a computer, was to not ‘disappear’ into the screen’ – this was great to read because it is something that I have been struggling with myself and then comes in the override to ignore the signals my body is giving me. Ignoring things like my back may be stiff or my arms are feeling hard, or to get up and walk around, take a break, drink water – then this creates such a tension in my body which takes days to come back from. The body has it’s ways of telling us when we are being abusive and it gives us the opportunity to change our relationship with it and the tasks we are performing.
Committing to staying connected to my body is one of the best investments I have ever made.
Getting away with it! How may times have we all used this tried and tested excuse? Is this not the same as cheating? When we cheat on what-ever, we are only cheating on ourselves! When we fully commit to life, (because we are human) we are allowed to stumble, learn from it and move forward – we cheat no one.
Your blog makes it very clear that commitment is a moment to moment development and expansion that leaves no area of life untouched. We are either committed or we are not, it is as simple as that.
When we choose just one thing to bring our presence to its amazing how much awareness and expansion happens from here. As you shared ‘One of the seemingly simple exercises I did to support all this was going for a ten minute walk every day. I began with focussing only on feeling my hands and my feet as I walked as a way to support myself to develop conscious presence.’ it really is magical the depth that we feel through simplicity.
When commitment comes from deep within our body it affects everything we do.
‘At the end of the day I felt powerless and somehow a bit stupid as well. I walked in an unstable way and felt light in my head. This was not how I normally would feel, or who I knew myself to be, and with this I knew I had let another energy affect my body.’ To me this observation proves how being responsible for oneself gives rise to the opportunity for more responsible choices to be made. Why? It takes a level of self-responsibility to get to a place where one is actually able to perceive such subtleties in the body, and then another dedication to responsibility to notice when we have dropped, and yet another to then make a different choice.
It’s so easy to believe we get away with a lack of commitment to life. I sure as hell thought I was getting away with it before realising myself that actually, I was miserable and basking in that misery for a very long time. I can’t say today that I am committed 100% as I certainly have days where I fall over and want to give up all responsibility…but they are far fewer than before, and the difference is huge in how I feel in myself.
What has supported me with my commitment to life is keeping it simple. I am stilling learning / claiming this ‘simple ‘ truth when I know so much around me is so out of flow of keeping it simple. It is just accepting that’s the way it is.. and to also accept my way even if I make a mistake and my intentions get mixed with my ideals. Its beautiful really trusting your feelings and having the understanding if you do make a mistake it is by an ideal outside of you that you allowed and not actually you – love the science of energy !!
Such a beautiful sharing Rik and can relate.
Same here Rik, love to keep things simple and clear and what has really supported living simply is trusting in myself, and with the trust comes the knowing that everything I need will be provided.
How easy can it be to point at all we do and say we are committed – we have a job, we do the function of life, and yet are we whole heartedly committed in every way? Is there a commitment to us and to others in all we do.
Great question Rebecca. Your comment makes me think about the question of ‘how committed am I to my true quality in every moment and what am I doing to truly support it to just be in all its beauty ?
It is a very common illusion to think we are committed to life if we are busy engaging in the world in different ways. However if we cannot commit to ourselves first with care and self love by building a conscious presence what are we truly bringing to life?
Just a very refined way of functioning that is still going against our true harmonious and natural way of being.
“Leading a committed life now means for me to be fully committed to myself first, knowing there is nothing selfish about that”. And that is the point, commitment has to begin with honouring the body by taking full care to nurture and care for it first, this in fact is our first responsibility and then it follows we can consistently commit more to life for we are more consciously present within ourself.
“I realised that when I choose to not commit to life in full, it creates an opening for ‘negative’, that is, unloving energy to enter.” This is very powerful. We have a responsibility and wanting a moment to “check out” can be very harmful.
Committing and dedicating ourselves to every aspect of life is enriching beyond measure.
Thank God for Universal Medicine and the living inspiration of Serge Benhayon who has lead the way and called us to return to our true living way.
Yes thank God for the reflection Serge has shown us is possible for all of us.
Committing to the quality that we bring to life is key, so we’re not just making it about committing to getting certain things done but also the way in which we go about doing them or the depth of connection that we bringing…
I love this Fiona: ‘Committing to the quality that we bring to life is key’ this keeps is super simple and has huge impact on the imprints we leave behind.
I feel the depth of connection is key here too Fiona, as without a good connection we are just getting things done, like you said. Being present and feeling into all we do can make many things in our daily lives so much simpler, which in turn then will reflect the quality of our commitment.
I saw something today on a Facebook post about doing everything with your’ve got, that’s the commitment right there to do everything with all of you. It’s incredibly simple when you break it down.
Noting the simplicity really makes us aware of just how complicated we can make life.
Oh so true, and we are so good at it. When we return to making things simple everything around us reflects this simplicity, and I found myself at times wondering what all the complications were really about that I had created…
I realised today that it really has to come from a willingness to change and do something different and often we are more willing to stay stuck in a rut because we know the rut and doing the something different is very uncomfortable. It’s interesting to observe.
Very interesting. And although it may at first be uncomfortable as we make truer changes simply because we are used to old patterns – it is far worth it as the glory, settlement, knowing, love felt inside is so innate and natural to us. Just recently I have realised that all my patterns have actually been a denial of what I hold and am here to reflect. The truth and love is always resting within us – just waiting for us to make the choice to simply allow it to be and support our body in such a way that allows our divine love to express through our physicality.
When I read blogs like these that discuss energy and the subtle (and not so subtle ways) it effects us, I am blown away by the intricacies of life and the trillions of choices that are actually available to us throughout the day which can leave us either energised or drained.
There is such a vast difference between functioning in life and ticking all the boxes… and truly committing to life where we are fully present, and bring all of who we are in all that we do.
One of the things that struck me was being with me while being with others. These words asked me the question how I am with me when being with others. When I’m honest there’s quite often some kind of a guard. That is, I allow myself to feel the other person and myself, but do not stay connected with the lovely, tender, joyful man I am. As if I’m not allowed. The consequences of this choice is that there’s always a little anxiousness. The beautiful part is that I can feel joyful about observing this, rather then bashing myself and / or being critical. As I work a lot with people, I’ve got a great opportunity to deepen the relationship with me, while I’m with others.
‘When I choose to not commit in doing the dishes, but I do them anyway because I have to do them, but now slower and with an indulgence, this contains the draining and unloving energy that is not supportive to true commitment.’ I love this simple example of what commitment looks like in an everyday task and it makes complete sense that we drain ourselves when we don’t commit to it.
Commitment is everything, it is so beautiful to read what you share here. Commitment is nothing more than a choice to be there in full for ourselves and all that we do. It is taking responsibility for what is needed.
I love what has been written here about having a bad day but taking the responsibility for how that day played out, if more of us did this how different would our work places be, and the knock on effect this would be on our home life and visa versa.
You mentioned about work and our commitment to it when the job is boring. Is it possible that any job can become interesting when we focus on the quality of us doing it? There is so much more than simply doing: we can observe how our body is feeling, we can feel how tender our hands and fingers are, and we can observe our random, distracted thoughts. The simplest of all is to check our breath – how gently are we breathing?
To fully commit to yourself. This is indeed something to be deeply pondered. I love how you have shown that through all the exploration, it is the simple things that actual make the biggest difference.
To be a student of life is to commit to life.
I am seeing I am only truly committed to life if I bring the fullness of me to it, and first that relationship with me needs to be re-connected and nurtured in the everyday choices I make. This is an ever deepening.
“I resisted the work that was there to do as I thought of it as boring and arrogantly considered myself too good for it. I did not work with 100% dedication and I secretly started sending out and answering private emails and doing personal things for myself.” – I’ve done this, and recently too and it smashed me, left me feeling exhausted. When there is work to be done, feeling bored or unstimulated by it and wanting something more interesting is making it about ourselves, and not about the job that needs doing regardless of what it is.
Not that many years ago, prior to coming to Universal Medicine I did not even want to engage in the normal day to day life, my choice to immerse myself in the New Age and Complementary Medicine was my way of opting out of everything about society I did not like. I realised that was not a conducive reaction and slowly moved from the edges back to among society. Since then I too have realised my actions are just the first step and there is a lot more to fully committing. And I have been surprised to find that it does not have to be heavy and hard work, in fact if I truly embrace my commitment the experience is quite the opposite!
The clear fact is that we NEVER get away with anything, so it makes every choice we make, however seemingly small or insignificant we may think it is, super important and once we have the level of awareness to realise this huge responsibility, there is no excuse to make every choice for all of us. Of course, this is one of the great challenges of life, without seeking perfection, so I too appreciate the reflection of Serge Benhayon and fellow students of the Way of the Livingness for the reflection of what it means to commit to life, and so simple, just stay present with your body and feel, feel, feel.
Thanks for revealing the true meaning of commitment to life, as being COMPLETELY committed to yourself in EVERY way. It’s the ‘every way’ bit that is important here because as you say if you “… don’t commit to every aspect of life in full, you allow unloving energy to enter.” It makes so much sense as to why I can experience such negative thoughts streaming through my mind when in truth everything is fine. I am inspired to explore the aspects where these enter, the aspects where I am not caring for myself fully.
I find that it is easier sometimes to commit to ‘things’ than it is to commit to ‘me’. I can commit to doing a good job at work, but this can sometimes mean that I forget to connect to me. The job can become more important than the quality in which I’m choosing to live and therefore bringing to the job. It is a constant choice to keep connecting to myself. This is the level of commitment that I know is possible but often choose to forget.
Ditto Rebeca, I also can also be caught up and forget to be responsible for all my choices. As I am finding out, the more I stay connected to my soul the simpler it is becoming to feel the drop!
A great expose in just because we ‘do’ a lot it does not mean we are truly committed! Also beautifull in that study is something that we can all do by being students of our own life and how we are living. As taught by Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine this is true evolution … learning from how we are living in each moment and adjusting what needs to change in order to be all that we are.
It is very interesting to understand that the choices we make affect the type of energy we live in, and this all happens without us consciously thinking about it. It does make sense because I know how I can feel very different when I make different choices. Therefore it shows me the importance of focusing on my quality before anything else, and how I have shirked that responsibility in the past. I used to be one of those people who thought ‘it’s not my fault’ and could easily blame others but it actually always boils down to us in the choice of energy.
It’s common to assume that when we make a choice to re-commit to life that so much has to change, we put so much pressure on ourselves to change our diet, our physique, our job, relationship, home. Yet what you have shown is a steady and simple commitment, involving no big life shift only that of your self – awareness and responsibility.
Re-reading this today I am struck by you sharing how ‘really paying attention to how I felt in my body when talking with people supported me to stay connected to myself’ and can feel how supportive this would be as I can still get caught in what is going on for the other person and lose myself and become much less effective. Thank you I have a potentially challenging meeting this morning and will take this wisdom with me to support both of us.
A very inspiring blog I love it. ‘All of the choices I make, the quality of energy I choose to do them in, and whether I am fully committed or not, has an impact on my work, my energy levels, my relationships, my body, other people… on everything.’ Full commitment to everything is such a beautiful way to be in life and effects the all as you share so beautifully when in connection with one’s body and all it is showing us first.
It’s interesting how we think we might not have the energy to do a particular task, because we don’t want to commit to doing it. But when we accept that it needs to be done, and commit to it, often it takes far less energy to do the task than to resist it. Committing to life and to whatever needs to be done, when we’re 100% with ourselves, not wishing we were doing something else, or racing to get through the task, is energising, while resisting is draining.
We think we can get away with things, because others don’t ‘see’ it, but I have also come to realize: we can’t escape our bodies. They feel everything, they live all our choices. That was for me a big realization. I can’t get away from myself, as my body is my marker and shows me every little detail of my choices simply by the after-effects. The lovely aspect of commitment -as you describe it by being connected to you body – is that we can start to feel everything (again) within and around us. Back to the sensitivity we have and are.
‘Leading a committed life now means for me to be fully committed to myself first, knowing there is nothing selfish about that.’ This has been a big one for me having always made life about others and putting myself second to please or accommodate them or a situation. Unearthing an ingrained belief that I was being selfish and not making it about everyone and dropping that, I now know making it about me first not only is taking care of myself, it is also taking care of everyone. No one else can love and adore me like I can so doing it amazingly well simply makes sense.
Great reminder to keep feeling the body… no matter if that is on a walk, working at a computer, talking with others, when we do we can feel so much and our bodies inform us and provide clear guidance on what is going on. When we don’t, we check out and become lost in the other thing whatever its demands.
The biggest commitment when committing to life is to commit to listen to our body – the more we do listen (not the way a hypochondriac would interact with their body), the more choices we have to be connected to our inner heart and to life.
That thing of working with 100% dedication (or not) is a great aspect to examine. Even when I work as a self-employed person – or perhaps even more so given there is no ‘boss’ standing over me – I can de-rail myself in the same way. Imagine how our productivity rates would change if every worker reflected on their capacity to commit to life in this regard – they’d surely sky-rocket.
This thing of connection to our bodies is super-important, as I too am learning. I have a much clearer sense of having a kind of mastery in life I won’t feel if I have allowed myself to get ‘sucked into’ the computer or am not present in some way or the other. Starting with that simple exercise of walking in conscious presence was a brilliant way to bring about the change that was needed, and build the actual activity of commitment. What a great prescription for life!
I love that the blueprint for committing to life is in the details… that nothing is more important than another… whether it is going to work or doing the dishes, it is the same… for commitment is about the quality in which you offer all of yourself to that moment and hold back nothing.
‘Leading a committed life now means for me to be fully committed to myself first, knowing there is nothing selfish about that. What this means is that I make it my priority to honour what I feel …’ Now I get this on a far deeper level; to check in with myself in all daily activities to see how I am and how I am responding to the task in hand. This is the barometer to whether I am committed or not. I can feel how I’m like a dodgy phone signal all day, in and out – and the outplay of this is that the connection wheel at the top spins continuously -chewing up the battery. This is a great analogy to our own energy level – if we are connected there is enough battery/energy, if we are out, we are running a program all the time which depletes our battery/energy.
I find the deeper I commit to life and connect with my purpose of being here than the more energy I have. This is contrary to what we make think, in that doing more leaves us depleted. As long as what we are doing is done in a quality of connection, than the more I participate in temporal life then my soul provides the energy for what’s needed to be done.
This is a great sharing and provides much more for me to reflect on as I go into my day. I can feel also that while I had considered I was quite committed to life, in truth, I had actually withdrawn a lot. Thank you for your sharing, it gives me a lot to ponder on.
“I realised that when I choose to not commit to life in full, it creates an opening for ‘negative’, that is, unloving energy to enter. But when I choose to commit to life in full, the energy I feel in my body is very different – it is loving, solid and light.” This line stands out to me and highlights to me just how often I give up and give in to letting unloving energies enter and drive me. The stark difference in the way I feel and how I am in the world when I commit to life in full is amazing. I can really feel the impact conscious present has on the body and mind and on our reflection to humanity.
It is true how the little things make a huge difference and really there is no little or huge as everything matters and we can’t “get away” with anything even if we try to fool ourselves that we can!
What I got from reading your amazing blog the second time was how commitment works. Firstly we have to be committed to ourselves, to our body by fully being present, caring, nurturing and by listening to our body before we are truly able to fully commit to life and others. It is in choosing to be in the quality of energy of love in our every movement, choices and expression that we are in, which then enables us to fully be committed to the all that is part of life. So, my understanding is, it is about our choice of energy first, and how consistently we apply this to our relationship with commitment with ourselves and others.
Our body truly is our best friend… Listen to our bodies and the answers to our health and well-being are right there.
Our bodies really are markers of truth…”…I make it my priority to honour what I feel, treating my body with respect and care, as I would my best friend, and listening intently to what it is telling me.” Our body lives with our every choice and it makes so much sense that it is therefore the expert in all that it needs.
It was inspiring to read the detail into which you explored the effect of not being committed at work. I am sure many of us have experienced those days when we don’t want to do the work at hand and start drifting off. But how many of us have clocked all the effects on our body when we choose this? I certainly will be looking more closely from now on.
Commitment in life does need to start with a commitment within your own body. Staying with what you feel in your body brings such a steadying feeling. It instantly shows up how consistent and committed you are, so a fabulous ‘best friend’ to have.
This is a great understanding of commitment, i have learned much about where I am letting myself not be committed in full from reading this blog with the intention to understand moron this subject. I too can see myself in the quandary and this blog helps enormously
‘Leading a committed life now means for me to be fully committed to myself first, knowing there is nothing selfish about that.’ – Very true, and that makes it interesting to observe how the norm in our society is to see this as being selfish or even obsessed with self.
If we don’t commit to looking after ourselves first, then how can we look after anything or anyone else, unless we know how to do this for ourselves first. When I make space to feel the connection to my body first thing in the day, the day flows and I get a lot more done as it’s easier to stay focused throughout the day. When I get up in a rush and make the whole day about everything outside of me, it’s like I’m leaking energy everywhere, doing everything in fragments and nothing feels complete.
I’m learning more and more how commitment is something that we can continually develop in all areas our of lives. And so it’s not like reaching a ‘destination’ and saying yes now I’m there but being open and willing to see what the next step is, eternally deepening.
I love how there’s no end process to developing and deepening commitment. I have definitely wanted there to be, so that I could tick the commitment box and say ‘yes, look at me, I’m committed now’ – but it’s easy to go through the machinations of seemingly committing to life, through the ‘doing’, but while doing everything in complete disconnection – and that doesn’t feel great. Real commitment takes dedication to stay present and consciously aware of what you’re doing in every moment, staying connected to how your body is feeling in each moment. There is a joy, stillness and steadiness that is felt through commitment.
It is great to read how commitment to life equals energy in the body. this is a simple and practical science that everyone knows because our bodies speak this language all of the time.
When I make a commitment to one area of my life other areas seem to naturally be asked to be looked at. I’m inspired to make a morning walk part of my daily rhythm.
Thanks for the reminder to not get sucked into the screen and lose myself on the computer. I think I should have a big flash up reminder set up on my computer…. as this is one place that I can forget me and my body and get sucked in online.
Time and time again I kid myself about the way I’m feeling, I say ‘such and such happened …therefore I’m justified to indulge in my sadness and comfort myself with food’ or ‘such and such happened so I need to reward myself with a large piece of cake… ‘ or whatever it is when in truth I’m being dishonest with myself because I do not want to take responsibility and accept that I am where I am as a direct result from of choices.
The committment to life is about the energy we choose not about how involved we are in activities. I know when I do something on auto pilot (ie. not committed but checked out), I don’t remember things like whether I’ve locked the door or turned the gas off and I have to go and check.
We cannot switch off and then on again, being present is needed always and in everything. Being aware of our body and how it feels is a beautiful support to not go into our heads and distract ourselves. Like you say how we can disappear in the computer or lose ourselves in conversations is all the same thing. Committing to stay present and be who we are is a true way of living, living our light.
Thank you Willen, so many times we think of commitment to life being a huge process or a burden in life that is almost unattainable for most when it fact it is the simplicity of choosing the quality of energy that will govern our movements equally in all aspects of our lives.
This is an amazing awareness. When we do not commit to life, the world misses out on the reflection that we have to offer.
Commitment to life is more about commitment to self. I have found it easy to do all the right things to show you are committed to life in the temporal world compared to to truly committing to yourself.
I had given up on life by giving up on the possibility of love. Simple-Living Global and Universal Medicine has supported me to understand that finding love is about commitment to self and understanding that all the love I was missing was inside of me.
I love how you discovered that a commitment to life could begin with the simplest of things, like a walk, but most importantly a walk with all of you. We often complicate our lives with un-loving actions but you have shown that when we simplify life, life has a way of unfolding in a more loving and supportive way.
An interesting point is shared here in that in the past when I have considered commitment I have seen it as something that is relevant to whatever I am doing at the time however our commitment runs through and affects everything which shows that yes the commitment has to be ourselves first as this is the common thread throughout. “Therefore all of the choices I make, the quality of energy I choose to do them in, and whether I am fully committed or not, has an impact on my work, my energy levels, my relationships, my body, other people… on everything.”
I had to smile when you mentioned the dishes! Tonight I was at dinner at a friend’s house and was feeling a bit tired so did not feel like doing the dishes but I did them anyway. I can certainly confirm that it left an emptiness in my body. Commitment to life is committing to be true to ourselves in every moment.
Being in commitment does feel very different in my body to feeling like I have to complete something or even leaving something to later. There is resentment in one and tension in the other. Who would have thought that commitment and responsibility were so good for our body and our health?
How true this is that we cannot compartmentalise commitment and apply it to just one part of life or apply in part on an adhoc basis. To commit to life is a life-long every moment commitment to the whole of us and our lives.
We really do trick ourselves when we see certain things as not as important as another thing and then don’t put in as much effort or commitment. I have found when I do this, what I am doing seems to become more of a struggle which then makes you feel like you don’t really want to do it.
Whereas doing something with full presence, is easy and feels amazing in your body because it is then never about what your doing, but totally about how awesome it feels to move and feel you as you move.
Committing to life is far beyond what we think it is on the surface. It is beyond all the doing, it makes it much more about presence and being with yourself and then, in turn, others.
Very accurate blog on how commitment affects the body. If we move with commitment, life becomes a very different experience
This is true Sarah. I never really considered how draining it is to not be committed to life, no wonder I was so exhausted prior to attending Universal Medicine courses, presentations and workshops. They have inspired me hugely to commit to life. What a difference I feel now, wow, I no longer feel exhausted. Amazing really, and everyday I deeply appreciate what I have learnt from Universal Medicine. I feel Universal Medicine is a blessing for humanity in every way.
I think I am committed, but when I look back on my day, I can see how I have allowed myself to get distracted so that it can take me twice as long to do anything and exhausts me in the process. My commitment has to be to staying present in all that I do and completing one task before starting another.
I love the step by step building blocks you have put in place and committed to in order to re-enter life and give it all you are.
Excellent blog William, just to read words I have been feeling and examples I have lived myself.
Thank You
This is so funny as I had just written that I put my bodies need to pee first before a task. Essentially it is these seemingly small and ‘irrelevant’ moments and choices that actually fuel our overall energy source. Fascinating.
Commitment needs to be in every part in our life. It isn’t an on/off switch, it is about being aware 100% of the time, and it shows when we are not. Observing this can bring us back to our true commitment to self and life.
You’ve proposed a very different way of looking at ‘awful days at work’ and things that don’t go as well as we’d hoped; before playing the blame game and pointing fingers at other people or influences, we have to ask – did we truly commit to our day in full?
So many times I have felt similar to this; felt how damaging that lack of commitment can be, or felt how tired I might be at some point in the day. Now what I am seeing more and more is that it is as simple as making a different choice. I clock the feeling, know it is not OK and then I choose to, in layman’s terms, just “pick up my game”. What does this mean? It means taking the next step with purpose, with commitment and with presence. And it literally is as simple as the next step, or the next key I touch on my computer, or the next word I say to someone. And, as quickly as that, the tiredness goes, the foggy head clears, the wandering thoughts disperse and I am energised, focused and back with myself. Now, that is just one moment, but if i do that over and over again, it builds an ever stronger foundation that then enables me to get more and more done in my day whilst maintaining that presence. I’m a long way from perfect and very often have slip-ups, off days, bad moments, but Serge Benhayon and the Way of the Livingness has given me the tools – now it is my choice.
Awesome, Otto. In reading what you write it is a reminder that we always have a choice. As in, we have millions of opportunities a day to choose the loving choice.
What a gift. Again and again and again we are offered the prize. Where else in life dos that happen? Go to a fun fair and a kind stall holder might give you one more go, but that’s it. Yet Love just keeps on saying to us, “go on, have another go.” Gorgeous.
Super practical and real exploration of the simple truth. Namely that we are designed to work, to be in life (not ruled by it – just in it). Sitting in ‘caves’ serves no one and life is about service.
After reading this blog I understood so much more of what commitment truly is, thank you for sharing it! Whilst this was very revealing I found it very healing, when we commit to life in full we are given all the energy we need to do what is there to be done.
We do tend to think of commitment as something that can be seen, as in all the things we ‘do’ and can show the world. But I have discovered like you that commitment is in the little things that can’t necessarily be seen. My attitude to life can be committed or not. I can commit to moving with a certain quality of energy, or not. can make a commitment to stay connected to my body, or not. None of these can necessarily be seen, but make a huge difference to the end result, the way I feel about myself, the way I am with others, and my contribution to the world around me.
I agree, Zofia, it’s so interesting. Understanding how this truly works would revolutionise the workplace and probably put a few consultancies out of business in the process. A commitment to and relationship with self is a foundational way to work.
I love the honesty you have shared and it is inspiring that after learning one thing about yourself, that was not comfortable to see or feel, you chose to start to actively look, work on and heal this. Also your honesty in how it does not just suddenly magically happen (going from not being committed to being committed) but is an unfolding process through the choices we make every single moment every single day. When I read your blog there were a few things I know I do such as personal emails at work … so not committing all of me in the time I am there to the job. I considered myself (and am) more committed than I have been ever been before but in a recent meeting I could feel in my body just how much I still hold back and am non committed to life. I tend to feel these things and then conveniently forget them! So it is great to be reminded with what you have shared.
Thank you for exposing that there can be nothing half-hearted about our commitment to life because that allows a draining energy in and the results are dire. I have experienced that this week at work, not only do I feel so much less productive than normal but as you so rightly say that energy follows me home at the end of the day. Committing to caring for me and my body allows me to bring all of me to whatever task I am undertaking and to be fully present in life.
We’ve got one life and in that life we’re forever taking our bodies with us. I’ve also found that there’s a huge difference if I choose to be with my body or being focussed on something else outside of me. And my body loves the attention, loves to be with me and is actually confirming how natural it actually is to be with me. The lightness, tenderness and joy that my body’s communicating with me when I’m connecting to it is worth more than anything outside of me.
‘…Paying attention to how I felt in my body when talking with people supported me to stay connected to myself..” I have found this also supportive as it can be easy to lose myself in work or conversations. Making the commitment to build awareness of my presence supports me in daily life no end.
Committing to life is choosing the quality of energy that impulses the movements. The rest follows if the commitment to fiery energy is there.
Being self-centered is the having the belief the world revolves around you. Having self-love and caring for our selves first and foremost is supporting the world we all live in.
This article made me realise that my commitment to many things has dropped recently and the less committed I am does affect the flow of everything I do and is also quite draining.
When I make commitment a ‘doing’ it can feel like I am bullying myself whereas, when I choose a commitment to love then love is with me in all I do and with everyone I meet.
I love this, Mary. Beautifully said.
Being in the body, a commitment to life, thank you for sharing your experience, it feels greta to read someones experiences on what commitment to life means for them. I can feel that the more I am aware of how my body feels the less checked out I am. Walking paying attention to hand and feet, lovely example of how to support reconnection.
You could rephrase your blog by saying a study on “responsibility and energy” because responsibility = commitment and commitment = responsibility. Less than full commitment is irresponsible.
It’s interesting how we often gave the perception and way of being that if our day is awful then it is an explaination for why we feel awful etc. this way of thinking is a lack of responsibility that I feel many are even aware they carry. Instead – the truth of the matter is as you share the day was awful because the commitment to self wasn’t there. It’s what we choose is then reflected in our day and life etc.
‘Therefore all of the choices I make, the quality of energy I choose to do them in, and whether I am fully committed or not, has an impact on my work, my energy levels, my relationships, my body, other people… on everything.’
A beautiful sharing and blog Williem. Thank you. Commitment, I have come to realise is the dedication to remain present in full to every moment – allowing every part of me to be in every moment and therefore life. The rest seems to take care of itself because with the presence the what is needed is very clear. This of course is still very much a learning for me and by no means perfect but definitely I have a willingness and knowing that is strong true about who I am and our purpose in life.
The sneaky emails and the indulgent dishes are both great examples of how we can evade our responsibilities or drag our heels.
Thank you for the very inspiring reminder to appreciate and respect our amazing body with the same love, care and attention that we would give to our nearest and dearest friend.