How Easy and Enjoyable Can Your Life Be?

Several months ago I was clearing a blackberry thicket from behind my house. Eight to twelve feet long, over an inch thick, and covered with huge thorns, these vines had a will of their own. When I cut and pulled one end, the other whipped around and grabbed onto my jeans or shirt and sometimes imbedded itself in my skin. I was feeling hot and grumpy and whining to myself, "This is so hard. This is just such hard work."

Then a little bell inside me rang and my Glenna-the-Good-Witch-Voice said, "Hmmm... how could you find a way to let this be a little easier and more enjoyable?"

This simple question transformed my situation.

I stopped for a moment, took a drink of water, looked around and woke up to the beauty of being alive and making choices. There I was in one of my favorite places in the world, doing something entirely because I wanted to.

Suddenly I could receive the sweet sounds of the stream, the birds and the wind in the trees, the beauty of the forest and the smells of the earth. Ahhhh...the pleasure of living in a strong body that can do this work, the joy of feeling the wonder in and around me.

As if by magic, even the blackberries seemed to loosen their resistance and the rest of the task was quick and enjoyable. All because a simple question helped me change my way of being.

I use the question, "How easy and enjoyable can I let this be?" daily to transform situations such as difficult conversations, painful dental procedures, bill paying, writing, cleaning house and exercising.

My clients and students tell me they have used it to lose weight, get middle-schoolers though the last days in the schoolyear, recover from surgery, approach yoga poses, change ingrained habits and attend stressful family gatherings.

Letting it be easy and enjoyable is not about giving up! (Unless, of course, you make the choice to do so!)

Letting it be easy and enjoyable is a body-felt attitude and way of being that will help you get more done and let you have more fun in the process.

Notice when you find yourself struggling with something. You'll probably recognize some of these sure signs of struggling.

-Gasping for air, holding your breath or repeatedly sighing.

-Thinking, "This is so hard!" or "I'll never get this done" or "Why do I have to do this?" or "I'll do this if it kills me." or "I can't stand doing this." or "This makes me sick."

-Feeling physically heavy, tense, weighted down, exhausted or drained.

-Feeling emotionally overwhelmed, grouchy, put-upon or resentful.

Like most of us, you are probably really good at struggling. But a deep, healthy part of you also knows how to live with ease and enjoyment.

When you notice you are struggling, ask yourself the question, "How can I let this be a little easier and more enjoyable?"

Answers will come up for you if you take time to listen. You will find lots of ways to create more feelings of ease and enjoyment in your body, your surroundings, your attitudes and your thinking.

What in your life could you let be a little (or a lot!?) easier and more enjoyable?

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing with ease and enjoyment!