Duty – Day 5
September 14, 2018
Sometimes when I have particularly dreadful duties to perform, I literally make myself sick. I might get in an accident or start feeling feverish. “If I really get sick,” I think, “then I’m home free. I don’t have to do my duty, and I’ve got a good excuse.”
That’s not the way it works. If it’s a true duty, I end up doing it anyway—with a fever, the flu, or a bandage on my leg.
Action: When it’s time to do something you must, it helps to find something to like about the task, or a good reason to do it even when you don’t want to. It helps to find something to be passionate about, even when it’s a little thing like what you’re going to wear. Getting clear on why you’re doing it can be helpful too. “I don’t want to do this, but I feel it’s important to do because . . .” Feel all your feelings, and then get to work. You’ve got a job to do that needs to be done. Usually the worst part about fulfilling your duties is the dread you experience first.
From the book: 52 Weeks of Conscious Contact
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About the author
In addiction and recovery circles, Melody Beattie is a household name. She is the best-selling author of numerous books.
One of Melody's more recent titles is The Grief Club, which was published in 2006. This inspirational book gives the reader an inside look at the miraculous phenomenon that occurs after loss--the being welcomed into a new "club" of sorts, a circle of people who have lived through similar grief and pain, whether it be the loss of a child, a spouse, a career, or even one's youth.
For more information about Melody and her books, visit the author's official website