find one thing that feels good

 
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here is my very distilled, one line instruction / note to self on navigating any difficult journey — in the inner or outer world. by journey I mean: anything that does not have a definitive end date or clear mark of completion / accomplishment (that is, most things in life). and for even some things that do:

find one thing that feels good, and do it everyday.

this is embodying the process-practice of a pursuit. break a complicated endeavor down into one thing that feels good — and good could mean nourishing, inspiring, energizing, containing momentum, useful, or satisfying on any level.

the challenging (and fun) part is finding your one thing. and the “one” thing could be a ritual or a routine containing several steps, rather than “one” action. and it could be repeated several times a day, as long as it’s clear what the “one” thing is.

this applies to:

  • making creative work

  • building a business

  • exercise

  • emotional & mental wellbeing

  • learning a language

  • applying to jobs

  • healing inner child wounds

  • spiritual growth

  • self understanding of any kind

  • being in a relation of any sort

the purpose of this one thing that feels good — is to find a place of effortlessness and detachment from a complex pursuit — in a way that has a steady, daily rhythm — and momentum. it can take 5 minutes. as long as you touch it daily. the intention matters more than the output.

I realized that the parts of my life which feel (relatively) effortless now — making art, nourishing my wellbeing, building my business — came most easily when I embraced the process-oriented nature and committed to taking one step at a time. the most crucial thing is that I did it everyday. (or almost everyday). the things I struggle most with are things I leave in the closet to collect dust and fear and resistance, until something happens and I feel the sinking feeling of neglect, anxiety, or implosion. (this applies to bureaucratic things, as well as relationships to myself, and to others)

so perhaps the place to begin is this:

  1. what is the pursuit/journey you are on?

  2. does it have an end date?

  3. how do you know when it’s complete?

  4. what is the one thing that feels good — that you can do for this journey?

  5. can you commit to doing it everyday?

 
Kening Zhujourney, process