It’s not what you do that makes you feel fulfilled, it’s what you put into it.
Many of us have come to a place in our lives where we lack fulfilment. We have convinced ourselves that we need to do something more fulfilling with our lives… and off we go on a vision quest of sorts to find this magical “fulfilling thing.”
This IS a noble quest, and some of us DO need a different vocation, hobby, or relationship to tend to this need. However, the quest for fulfillment is also a trap.
And like most traps, you don’t see it until you’re in it.
Class adjourned with a brief mention of breathing through the hard times, knowing a peace will follow, and the customary namaste.
“Thanks, Stu.”
“Great class.”
“I feel like a totally different person.”
“Awesome start to my weekend!”
Ahh… I never get tired of hearing that I make a difference in a person’s day. It’s nice. It’s why I teach. It’s not fulfilling.
That’s right. NOT fulfilling.
“How was class,” the text asked innocently enough.
“Awful. I’m not giving people enough options. It’s really not All Levels.”
“Stop it. Your students love your classes.”
“Yeah, but I’m being totally lazy. I think I fell asleep during sun salutations.”
Sending that response made me realize that yes, I have a duty to my students to provide a suitable class, but fulfillment comes from my duty to myself. It’s the amount I put into the class that fulfills me, not the compliments I get out of it.
Mountain Pose
Imagine yourself in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Well, it’s really just standing there, right? Sure… but it can be much more. All the muscles can be made active… from the toes gripping the ground, to engaging the core muscles, to activating the legs & arms – even lengthening the spine up through the crown of the head.
Of course, you can also just stand there and wait for the next instruction.
Your choice, really.
The perfect metaphor for life, and everything we do. You can be active, engaged, putting everything you can into something… or you can just wait until the next thing. Which one is more fulfilling? Doing mountain or saying you did mountain? Doing life… or saying you did life?
The more you put in, the more fulfillment you get out.
Are you there?
If something very fulfilling in your mind’s eye can turn out to be not so fulfilling, it would stand to reason that fulfillment can come from things that don’t seem like they could be fulfilling. In fact, fulfillment can come from anything.
Take a look at your life. Take a look at your routines. Take a look at your to-do list. Are you missing out on fulfillment… not because the wrong things are there… but because you could put more into them?
This is an excellent reminder going into a new year to be present and get the most out of life. One additional perspective I’d offer is that sometimes, the compliments you receive from others can make you realize that you’re being more effective than you realized (as a yoga teacher, office employee, etc.), which can then encourage you to put even more into what you’re doing. Sometimes, even though we think we’re not giving as much of ourselves as we could, what we ARE giving is making an impact, and it’s nice to be reminded of that and to use it as motivation to put even more into the activity–thereby gaining more fulfillment. It’s a win-win situation!
Absolutely! When you find a place where what you are putting into something is also fulfilling others, you complete “the circle”. This is, I think, where moment into flow comes from. Well put.
-Stu