Day 185/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
What do we hunger for? Such an interesting topic offered by Sarah on this day.
When we reach for another piece of pizza, or another glass of wine, what are we really hungry for?
When we must shop and we must buy another stunning pair of shoes or gorgeous leather handbag, what is the hunger really for?
We are in the throws of COVID and there are multiple reports of those who hunger to be released from their homes and families to return to normal life. What are you really hungry for?
With certainty, the most pressing hunger in my life theme was to be valued, and to be supported.
With every new adventure, with every exquisite purchase, with every new relationship, with every dinner out, career accomplishment, diploma or degree, my longing for value and support were my constant companions.
To my way of thinking at the time, my hungers would be satisfied by others, and so I kept looking for the one who would take me in his arms and make the world right for me.
It took a while to realise those hungers were mine to satisfy.
Each of us have hungers to wrangle with in this thing we call life. In some way these hungers give us the opportunity to reach for our potential.
My hungers felt like they are the very thing I couldn't manage alone, and so I reached out looking for my knight in shining armour.
When that didn't work, I figured that I had to toughen up and suck it up and keep going. That's the individualist paradigm for you, doing its damage in the only it knows how.
Being responsible for my hungers doesn't mean doing it alone. There's a difference between looking for someone to rescue me and realising that with support I could find my own version or value and support.
We were never meant to figure life out on our own. Maybe that's why there are so many of us! When we connect with others, share each other's stories and experiences, we can put our own into perspective. Wholeness and well-being is not a single act. In some way it's a collaboration. I'm working on how to articulate that more intelligently.
Can you connect with what you are hungry for? That feeling of emptiness won't be satisfied by another croissant, or another diamond ring, or more reconstructive surgery, or another new outfit, or a new boyfriend.
Take some time to think it through. Give me a call if you need help.
366 days Towards Self-Mastery
When I considered my New Year's intentions for 2020 I had just one: To allow my heart to love what it loved...and let it lead me. (If not now, then when?)
I've spent months working on integrating my life. To live life more fully with my home life, my interests, my work, my responsibilities, all coming together, all connected. I want to give each the attention that they desire and need, and still have time and energy for the others. That means living and working from the heart.
As I was clearing out my bookshelf over the Christmas break I discovered Simple Abundance. I set it aside to explore it on New Year's Day as I lazed through another delicious day of nothingness. Sarah, the author, says this book is about living in grace. Living in grace I realised, is about Self-Mastery.
My thirst for understanding the human condition has driven me all my life, and hand-in-hand with self-mastery it has been a life-long goal. And seeing as I love to write, that living in grace is about self-mastery, and I love a bit of a challenge, then if I am truly going to let my heart lead, I really don't have any other choice. So scary as it feels, I'm starting out on a daily mission of leaning into the suggestions of this daybook and making a daily post to keep me accountable. If not now, then when?
I'm Josie. You can find out a little more about me here.
Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy: by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
This book is written for the Australian and NZ market because it refers to seasonal changes. It's available on Amazon here if you'd like to follow along.
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