Taking the “easy way” is not a particularly popular approach to success and life.
Consider this quote: “The path of least resistance is the path of the loser” (H.G. Wells)
When I tried to find a contrasting quote that stated the virtues of a life lived with ease, I came up empty-handed.
Not one to force the matter, I’m going to rely on my own intuition and experience: forcing things – applying effort where there is resistance – creates struggle, stress and needless suffering.
Rather than finding that the path of resistance is the path to success (to take H.G. Well’s quote to its opposite conclusion), I’ve found that when I encounter resistance, it’s usually because I’m forcing things. I’ve stopped listening to and trusting my gut. When the ideas aren’t flowing… when I feel overwhelmed… when a task takes me forever… I’m forcing something to happen or to be a certain way. And more often than not, I’m attached to a particular outcome.
There’s no doubt: success requires persistence, intention, commitment and focus… why does that have to be “hard work?” What would happen if it was work approached with ease? If our life and work are truly aligned with our values and strengths, we will have more moments of ease than of resistance. I’d rather move through my journey like the river, flowing and bending and gently supporting life. I want to dance over the rocks, smoothing over the jagged edges that disturb my path.
Do you want to live and work with ease? You have a choice. You can approach a task with force and resistance, or you can approach it with ease and release. When I feel struggle, I ask myself: “What am I resisting here? What am I attached to? What am I forcing to happen?”
Getting Curious:
Where do you feel ease in your life? What feels forced? How can you tell when something is being forced? What happens in your body, mind, spirit? Where do you want to feel more ease, and what’s one thing you can do to bring that ease to you?
There is freedom in release. The “easy way” just may the way you create your greatest success!
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