I picked up on a phrase and I use it a little too often I think, " I'm not feeling it. " I say it a lot. I am thinking about just what that means. I think it means I am not excited about doing whatever it is I should be doing. By " not feeling it " I am really saying I wish to shirk my responsibility. I'm just saying it in a colloquial way. Somehow that seems to make it acceptable. It is a slippery slope to tread upon. I find myself beginning to seek justification for this and that isn't good. When one requires justification it is usually because you know , down deep, that you are wrong. Seeking justification or excuses can be just as exhausting as the task itself.
There are moments when I utter that phrase and I can hear my father's response. I don't care what you feel, you're gonna feel my foot in your ( fill in the blank ) if you don't get going. And I don't think my Dad ever heard that particular expression in his life ! Guess he still lives in my brain somewhere. Well, of course he does. We are all a product of our raising. I was taught better than that. The thing is, motivation. I sometimes find it hard to become motivated. Could I be getting lazy ? Or is it that I am just allowing myself to make excuses. I would say the later is closer to the truth. And me, for all my preaching and pontificating ! I should be ashamed.
It is a big world out there and each of us are a cog in that machinery. We all play a role. Yes, the machine keeps going should we fail, but that isn't an excuse to fail. The machine isn't about me, it doesn't exist for me. It is that realization that can cause this lack of motivation. I mean, what's in it for me ? Shouldn't I be happy all the time ? Shouldn't I just get to do whatever I feel like doing ? Seems like that is becoming the prevailing attitude in society today. Can that feeling be justified ? I don't think so.
I think this is all related to humility. That is a word we don't like to hear or use very often. That is especially so when talking about ourselves. We don't want to think of ourselves as humble. We are told to be bold ! Speak up for yourself. Problem is it has become brash not bold. That distinction has become blurred. We should be humble, humbled before our God. Whatever you wish to label your God, you should be humbled before him. To be humble is to show respect. Respect is an action, not a feeling. A lack of feeling however can cause a lack of respect. So, when I say to myself, " I'm not feeling it " I am really disrespecting myself. If I can't respect myself, how can I respect others ? I'll think about this the next time I use that phrase.
There are moments when I utter that phrase and I can hear my father's response. I don't care what you feel, you're gonna feel my foot in your ( fill in the blank ) if you don't get going. And I don't think my Dad ever heard that particular expression in his life ! Guess he still lives in my brain somewhere. Well, of course he does. We are all a product of our raising. I was taught better than that. The thing is, motivation. I sometimes find it hard to become motivated. Could I be getting lazy ? Or is it that I am just allowing myself to make excuses. I would say the later is closer to the truth. And me, for all my preaching and pontificating ! I should be ashamed.
It is a big world out there and each of us are a cog in that machinery. We all play a role. Yes, the machine keeps going should we fail, but that isn't an excuse to fail. The machine isn't about me, it doesn't exist for me. It is that realization that can cause this lack of motivation. I mean, what's in it for me ? Shouldn't I be happy all the time ? Shouldn't I just get to do whatever I feel like doing ? Seems like that is becoming the prevailing attitude in society today. Can that feeling be justified ? I don't think so.
I think this is all related to humility. That is a word we don't like to hear or use very often. That is especially so when talking about ourselves. We don't want to think of ourselves as humble. We are told to be bold ! Speak up for yourself. Problem is it has become brash not bold. That distinction has become blurred. We should be humble, humbled before our God. Whatever you wish to label your God, you should be humbled before him. To be humble is to show respect. Respect is an action, not a feeling. A lack of feeling however can cause a lack of respect. So, when I say to myself, " I'm not feeling it " I am really disrespecting myself. If I can't respect myself, how can I respect others ? I'll think about this the next time I use that phrase.
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