Get out of bed

Written by Suraj Shah. Inspired by greatness.

There are some days that I just don’t want to get out of bed, but I’ve chanced upon something that guarantees I arise in the morning with zeal.

The warm comforting trap of the duvet

For some reason there are mornings when I feel shitty about myself yet all safe and warm wrapped up in the duvet. I tend to indulge in the comfort and can’t bear to face the world.

Perhaps I’m dissatisfied with who I am or the way I look. Perhaps I’m not challenged enough at work, or I feel disconnected from the people who matter to me. Perhaps I’m not keeping the promises I make to myself and so letting myself down and disappointing those around me.

Whatever the reason, on those days I feel horrible and just don’t want to get out of bed.

But here’s the thing – it turns out there’s a sure-fire way of shaking off that funk.

What I’m about to share with you, I don’t manage everyday, but when I do manage it, it makes the world of difference.

Arise from the delusion of comfort; Live to serve

There comes a point while I am gradually waking up that I start to think about the people in my life – those around me who I care about and who deeply care about me.

I think about who they are, where in the world they live and what they need the most.

I think about what they say and what is left unsaid. I recall the expressions on their face and the things they do.

It wakes me up, literally, to the important needs of the people around me.

It reminds me of how everyone is the same. How everyone craves love and how everyone has fears.

Then I think about who I am and what I have, right now, to offer that love, to heal the pain, to pacify their fears.

Magically, as my delusion of comfort starts to shift, my heart fills with energy and I look forward to waking up.

As I arise from my slumber and push my own dissatisfaction to the side, I realise that I ought to get out of bed.

Only then can I offer love. Only then can I pacify fears. Only then can I heal pain.

It’s only then that I can serve and only then can I truly live.

Good morning!

The other option

Written by Suraj Shah. Inspired by greatness.

In life there are difficult choices to make, but they need never bring rise to stress. In the face of difficulty, there’s always the option to choose the path of least resistance.

Most days we run on autopilot. There are many small decisions to be made throughout the day, but rarely anything too hard. It’s not as if we’re a president of a country or anything. My decisions most days are around:

  • breakfast: choco hoops or porridge oats?
  • drive to work: listen to the radio or a CD?
  • at the office: archive the email or delete?
  • in bed: read first or go to sleep?

You’ll agree, these are mostly tiny mundane choices – not really worth spending any real time deliberating over.

Then there are the other days when an event knocks me for six. At that moment, I really do have to make an important decision, the result of which will impact my future and the lives of those around me.

There are some situations where it might even feel like “I’ve got no option but to….”, where it feels like my right to choose has been taken away from me and I must go down a certain path, or else.

What troubles us is not the activity that we need to carry out. What troubles us is how we think we’ll behave when we perform that task. We forsee having to do it grudgingly and feeling horrible inside.

It needn’t be that way.

In those times, it’s important to do the work that needs to be done – we have a duty to perform our role and fulfil that task.

So how about this for an approach. Do it. Just for fun. Do it anyway. Enjoy it. Be enthused in it. Start it and see what happens.

The other option is not choosing another task. The other option is choosing that particular task, having some fun and getting it done.

Shifting the moody life

Written by Suraj Shah. Inspired by greatness.

This life is a rare opportunity to make the most of the great.

Have you been through difficult times that make you question whether this life is really worth it? Let me tell you, it is. Trust me, this life is worth it.

Some days, the alarm clock goes off and I just don’t want to get out of bed. I am weighed down by all the work that I still have to get done, all the demands that are pressing on my shoulders and all the hopes and dreams I am burdening myself with.

But then I am reminded of all the greatness that I am surrounded by. The wonderful people who light up my life. The fun work that I am able to do. The energising sunlight I can enjoy and the refreshing air I can breathe.

When I am reminded of all that, suddenly the troubles of life seem to no longer weigh heavily on my shoulders. Suddenly I feel ok about getting out of bed. Suddenly I look forward to starting my day.