Wholeheartedness: The Antidote to Fatigue

Be a lover of what is and notice when you are not. I promise that if you adapt a mindset of wholeheartedness in everything you do, you will find a renewed enthusiasm for life. It won't be long before you realize the one thing you don't have time and energy for is resistance.
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What if I told you we could actually control when we are feeling tired, overwhelmed and stressed? This concept may be tough to grasp at first, but believe me when I say it can be controlled (and even alleviated) with one simple, yet profound, change.

Before I go any further, let me back up and explain. I give roughly 200 speeches each year. I'm on a plane every other day -- sometimes day after day -- for work. I have eight children at home. I've felt the stress, and I do know what it means to be tired. Despite these challenges and my busy workload, I still manage to feel energized and excited about each new day.

How you might wonder? By changing my outlook and approach. You see, I'm a firm believer that wholeheartedness is where it all begins. Often times when we are procrastinating or avoiding the inevitable we are, in a sense, squandering our energy by being resistant. This process is very similar to what happens when a balloon has small hole in it and eventually deflates. Little by little our energy depletes and the next thing you know, we are left feeling empty and robbed of the excitement and enthusiasm we had before we let it all go to waste in a downward spiral of resistance. At that point, it's no wonder why we can't find the energy to go any further.

If you truly want to make a change, it all starts with adopting a mindset of wholeheartedness and being present in the moment. You see, our realities are never as harsh as we think they are. If we choose to have compassion for others and believe that the universe is benevolent and kind, our outlook and how we view our circumstances will completely change. Remain focused on the facts of the situation and avoid the fictional stories that many of us tend to create in our heads that turn us into helpless victims. Once you've put those stories to bed, the world will no longer be "out to get you" and your stress and suffering will be minimized.

Need proof? Think about a time when you left work or another situation in which you felt drained. When you get home, perhaps your beloved dog or cat is ready to play or go for a walk. Suddenly, you feel re-energized and ready to go. What happened to that debilitating fatigue that you felt just moments ago? It was dissolved by wholeheartedness.

Or what about that time you left a high maintenance, high drama friend's house and swore you had been pushed to your limits only to come home to your child waiting eagerly with a basketball asking you to play? You can bet that wholeheartedness once again trumped any stress or anxiety you were feeling previously and put you back in the moment with more energy than you anticipated.

So, when you are feeling drained remember that we do have a choice -- to live in happiness or misery. Be a lover of what is and notice when you are not. I promise that if you adapt a mindset of wholeheartedness in everything you do, you will find a renewed enthusiasm for life. It won't be long before you realize the one thing you don't have time and energy for is resistance.

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