I can relate to this. It has been quite a tough year for us as a family after I was made redundant earlier in the year and our security has felt uncertain as I've struggled to get back to work in a really tough market. I've been hard on myself, and have tended to suppress the things I would usually get great enjoyment from - trivial things like enjoying making music, or socialising - there's a sense of guilt around enjoying myself while I have financial concerns to address. My guess is a lot of people can relate to that guilt - isn't it strange, we have this most incredible experience of existence to appreciate and enjoy, yet we construct conditions around whether we can live it to its fullest.
Appreciate you sharing this John. I can definitely relate to having guilt around enjoyment. It's so interesting! What a backwards idea right? It's kind of crazy that we need to retrain ourselves to enjoy small things. I wonder if this is more evident in the US than other parts of the world that aren't so career/success driven.
Wishing you ease and enjoyment as you finish out the year and head into the new one!
Bravo Scott. Thanks. So on point for me. Although I have let go of some of the old beliefs and conditioning around enjoyment this post provided me some terrific reminders!
Thank you for this well framed and vulnerable post. It definitely resonates and I am finding similar patterns in my own path to healing and learning. You gave me some added dimensions to think through and I’m grateful for it.
It’s funny how much synchronicity I get reading your work, I had a similar reflection and wrote about work/play and the hidden beliefs that were undermining it for me. I hope it’s helpful.
I can relate to this. It has been quite a tough year for us as a family after I was made redundant earlier in the year and our security has felt uncertain as I've struggled to get back to work in a really tough market. I've been hard on myself, and have tended to suppress the things I would usually get great enjoyment from - trivial things like enjoying making music, or socialising - there's a sense of guilt around enjoying myself while I have financial concerns to address. My guess is a lot of people can relate to that guilt - isn't it strange, we have this most incredible experience of existence to appreciate and enjoy, yet we construct conditions around whether we can live it to its fullest.
Appreciate you sharing this John. I can definitely relate to having guilt around enjoyment. It's so interesting! What a backwards idea right? It's kind of crazy that we need to retrain ourselves to enjoy small things. I wonder if this is more evident in the US than other parts of the world that aren't so career/success driven.
Wishing you ease and enjoyment as you finish out the year and head into the new one!
Thanks Scott - and thanks for the thoughtful newsletters.
Yes, we do seem to conflate success with happiness - though I feel the tide turning.
I can totally relate, John. Hang in there and wishing for an abundant new year for you and your family. You’re not alone. 💪
Bravo Scott. Thanks. So on point for me. Although I have let go of some of the old beliefs and conditioning around enjoyment this post provided me some terrific reminders!
Thanks Derek! These things can be very sneaky. I'm glad you found it helpuf!
Love your thought process, and the identifying of "shitty concepts". The process of identifying and naming the lies we believe is so helpful.
I agree! It's amazing how many we have. Naming them gives them less power
Thank you for this well framed and vulnerable post. It definitely resonates and I am finding similar patterns in my own path to healing and learning. You gave me some added dimensions to think through and I’m grateful for it.
It’s funny how much synchronicity I get reading your work, I had a similar reflection and wrote about work/play and the hidden beliefs that were undermining it for me. I hope it’s helpful.
https://poetx.substack.com/p/transforming-work-into-play
Thanks man, and yeah play is kind of as close to a direct enjoyment activity as there is! Cool that we are examining the same things in ourselves : )