It seems that I am detecting a pattern in my own life: when I am being of service in one way or another–whether be that teaching, performing, creating, or even brainstorming or hanging out with someone else–I tend to be in a high-flying place that feels good. In those times, I’m usually not thinking about myself. Instead, I’m swept away in the moment. If it’s interacting with someone, it’s all about listening to them, then expressing the next thought that I’m inspired to share, or the next action that makes sense. It is all about the flow. The same goes for creating something: I am in the moment, at work on solving a problem, puzzling out the music or project I’m working on. In a sense, I’m too busy with the moment at hand to be concerned or otherwise distracted.
Then there are all those other moments. I’m talking about the “dead” moments, when I don’t have a clear purpose or service-orientation. In those moments, I can easily get caught up thinking about myself, worrying about such and such. Those times just don’t tend to be as fun as the first kind. Instead, it’s like I’m doing my best to maintain a good attitude, while fighting a bad one from creeping in. In other words, there’s a lot of inherent resistance in my mind, and efforts to counter that resistance. In those times it is easy to imagine that life is hard, and that feeling good requires effort.
Not the case with being on purpose. I don’t have to try. I don’t have to make effort. Instead, I get to just be. I am being joyful, expressive, and expansive. I am being of service. Clear-headed and focused. It is that peak state the motivational types always talk about, and it is instantly accessible to me when I am in that giving zone.
I like that place. I wish to be there as much as possible. I just came out of a rehearsal this morning where I was working with high school students on a musical, and I came away happy and clear-headed. I felt my higher purpose in action. I examined what was going on, and I recognized how gratifying it was to help these teenagers grow in clarity and confidence as they put together this production. So I decided to write this post.
I think it is this sense of purpose that gives people lasting fulfillment. I love empowering others through creativity and music. I can also get satisfaction from talking to people about other things that matter to them, whether that’s money, relationships, health, etc. It can feel so good to make a difference. I like knowing that my skills, perceptions, point of view, and beingness is giving someone else access to an expanded sense of themselves. It creates a virtuous, positive-feedback loop that just keeps giving back to me. I come out of the experience light as a cloud and clear as a bell.
And so I bask in the joy of service, appreciating it and milking it for all it’s worth.
Because I’m eager for more 🙂