The Key to Inspired Action – Do Less?
‘Slow Down, Do Less’
We live in a world where the majority of us need to slow down and to take the time to do less. To be less busy and not filling time with doing, but simply being. This concept is at odds with what society has been teaching us for years. We are told to do more, achieve more, be more.
Eastern cultures, however, have long known the benefit of being, without the need to constantly be doing. We embrace the practice of mindfulness and meditation ever more in the western world, however. And finally, we come to the realization that for all our busyness, we still feel empty and want more.
When it comes to doing less, however, this does not mean that we spend our days sitting around doing nothing! Doing less is about contemplating our next steps and meditating on the right course of action rather than jumping into action for the sake of action. The saying “running faster in the wrong direction” comes to mind.
Inspired Action Comes Simply
Once we have taken the time to simply be, we open up space for intuitive guidance to come through. We can sense when something feels right and when something feels wrong. We have an overwhelming sense of when to take action and when to let go and release control. From this space, inspired action can develop, and when action is needed, rest not.
This is the difference between action lead through fear and inspired action. Action coming from fear is the need to do something or to force things to go the way we want. Inspired action, on the other hand, is about waiting patiently until we have an urge or feeling or a sign to do something. It may be unexpected, or it could be something that takes us out of our comfort zone, but we know that it is the right way forward. We feel drawn to take action rather than frantically searching for a solution.
When called to take action, so many of us delay or doubt or over-analyze, and end up doing nothing. This can be so detrimental and leave us feeling stuck or blocked. Sometimes the thing to do is so simple but can yield drastic results if we follow through. It’s often the simple things that go undone, as we feel they are unimportant. However, we walk towards our dreams with each choice we make in each moment. Every small decision leads us one step closer or one step away from realizing our dreams.
Small Choices May Have Big Rewards
It’s rarely the hard decisions or the big decisions that are life changing, it’s all the small choices we make in each moment that takes us in the direction we want to go; remembering all the while that it’s not the destination that counts but the journey and how we live the journey. Choosing happiness in each moment is the best way to live a life of happiness.
Even when things seem bad, and we feel low, we can always find something to feel happy about. When our actions come from a place of inspiration, this always brings us joy and fulfillment. It is when we are running like a hamster on a wheel, doing without really questioning why, that we feel so frustrated, unhappy and exhausted.
So take a moment to stop running, step off the wheel and contemplate where you want to go and what you want to do and tune into what feels right. Chances are, stepping back onto that wheel won’t be your first choice. There’s a world of potential waiting for you, waiting for you to take inspired action.
