“There is more to life than increasing its speed.” ~ Mohandas K. Gandhi

Time.

Most of the time it seems like there’s not enough of it.

We try to squeeze more stuff into the time we have, and then wonder why stress seems to be a normal part of our daily lives.

There’s more work at our jobs than we have hours there.  Many have taken on two, three and even four jobs.  Sometimes it’s to make ends meet, but other times it’s to pay for those things that we think will finally bring us happiness.

Homes have two and three cars.  Kids are enrolled in sports and other activities that seem to be going up and up in price.

We run faster and faster after the carrot.  No matter how hard or fast we run, that carrot stays out there in front of us.  If we happen to get a nibble of the carrot that taste is never enough. 

Exhaustion sets in.  The body breaks down.  The emotions break down.

And from this weakened state, we add one more thing to our already full buckets thinking this will make things all better.

It won’t.   And getting a bigger bucket won’t work either.  The burden will still be just as heavy, and you’ll likely add more thinking that it’s OK because you have a bigger bucket.

We are spending less time with our loved ones.  We are spending less time with ourselves.  We stop eating quality food because we don’t have time for it.  Eating highly processed food is easier and quicker.  It doesn’t take as much time to prepare, which we think is good because it’s like taking something out of the bucket.

We don’t walk or ride a bike anywhere because it takes too much time.  Yet there are those who drive their car to a gym they’ve paid good cash for just to walk on a tread mill.

It seems to me that the world is just a little bit insane.

What if we walked with our family for exercise, and enjoy some conversation while we’re at it? 

What if we cared for a garden? We’d supplement our food bill with “real” food.  We’d get exercise, and experience mindfulness.

What if there was another way to get your carrot without running on the treadmill you paid to use, carrying heavy buckets, and neglecting your spirit, body and mind?

There is.

The first thing is to make sure that the carrot you’re chasing is really what you are looking for.

All too often the carrot is something we’ve been told we want.  Joe next door has one, and he looks happy.  Jane on TV has one, and she looks happy.

That guy over there is a doctor, and look at all the stuff he has.  He must be happy.

Notice, though, that each thing we strive for is ultimately to create happiness?

Perhaps the carrot should be Happiness.

Is running on a treadmill you paid someone else to use, carrying heavy buckets filled with activities that do not fulfil your soul and weigh heavily on your body and emotions making you happy?

If you answered yes to this, great.  I’m truly happy you found your happiness.

If you answered no to this, maybe it’s time to make some changes.

If you agree, the next question becomes, “what would make me happy?”

If you can’t answer that right away, maybe you can answer “what is not making me happy?”

Lightening the load and releasing little bits of unhappiness creates the opening to see what would make you happy.

What if you only filled your bucket with things that made you happy?  I’ll bet that bucket would be easy to carry. And if you jump off the treadmill and go for a walk out in the world you’ll likely find more happy things to put in your bucket too!

Walking and exploring the world with your buckets full of happiness. 

Now that sounds like a LIFE!

I’m in!  Are you?

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Velma Gallant, The Queen of JOY! is an author, speaker, teacher, and healer.  As the host of “Welcome Changes Radio, she has interviewed over 100 personal growth and development experts.  Between growing up, raising a family, and building her business, she’s come to the conclusion that life is a continuous series of events and transitions.  There were times when she felt lost, broken, and confused, until she realized she wasn’t defined by these events and transitions.  Velma has stopped defining herself by what she does and the events of her life, and invites you to do the same!  JOY comes from within, and has been there all along, waiting to be rediscovered.

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