"Now what needs to be done?" ~ David K. Reynolds from Constructive Living
I didn't count how many times Reynolds wrote those words in his book, Constructive Living, but it was a lot. :)
Alright. You're experiencing a challenging moment. Things aren't going as planned. You're nervous, disappointed, anxious, shy, afraid, frustrated, angry, disappointed, tired, depressed, stressed, annoyed, jealous, hurt, sad, ..., whatever!
"Now what needs to be done?"
If there ever was a panacea for living optimally and sustaining a high level of happiness, THAT question may just be at the core of it. :)
Reminds me of Byron Katie's idea of "doing the dishes." She likes to say that in any given moment we have a little voice in our head that's telling us what we need to do next--whether it's pick to up the kids' socks from the floor, writing an email to a colleague, having a conversation with your partner, meditating, going for a hike, doing the dishes... there's always SOMETHING that needs to be done and, you pretty much always know what that something is.
Follow it and you're in good shape. Ignore it at your own risk. If you create the habit of NOT taking the next step and doing the next thing and washing the next dish then it's like your mind turns into a combat zone and you'll suffer from combat fatigue as you know you're not living anywhere near your highest potential.
But all that's part of a longer conversation.
For now, the question is, "Now what needs to be done?" :)
...
So, WHAT IS IT?!?
What in your life is currently "undone." Time to do it. :)
And, of course, the next time you find yourself experiencing any particular emotion, ask yourself what needs to get done next. And, (important "and"!) do it!
"At the office, the assembly line, the school, or at home, put effort into doing even the most routine tasks as perfectly as possible."
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