Beautiful Summer Morning

A Singing Heart

By Janet Trickett Merryman

Are you doing the work that makes you joyful? When you arise in the morning, do you eagerly anticipate what you will be doing in the day? Do you even know what makes your heart sing?

If you dread Sunday evenings, knowing that early on Monday morning, you will hear the invasive sound of an alarm clock, you are most likely NOT doing that which makes your heart sing. If you cringe at the thought of facing your day each day, you are most likely NOT doing that which makes your heart sing.

If you do not know what makes your heart sing, do you know how to figure that out? When we spend most of our day several days a week doing something that does not feel good, we are not doing what we are meant to be doing. Life is not meant to be about struggle and fear. Life is about love and joy!

Here are a few tips to help you figure out what brings you joy:

1. Experience silence for a few minutes. You may not think you have time to do that, but you really do. Even if you are just taking a shower, or on a lunch hour, you can be silent. You can just listen to your breathing, in and out, in and out. You can turn off the radio or tune out what is around you. You do not have to be sitting on a mat, legs crossed, listening to beautiful music, although that is certainly a wonderful and helpful experience. In that silence, you can listen to what is within. That is when you will connect with yourself, your inner being, your true and pure self.

2. Take just a few minutes to make a short list of all the things that you truly enjoy. Not what you think others would like you to enjoy. What YOU enjoy! It doesn’t have to be a long list, just an honest one.

3. At another time, make a list of all the things at which you excel. (e.g., writing, sewing, accounting, exercising, cooking, making jewelry, playing softball) You know deep down the things that you do best. And most likely, you truly enjoy those things that you do well.

The reason it is good to do the lists at different times is so that these tasks won’t seem overwhelming and give you an excuse to put off doing them.

The very best way you can figure out what brings you joy is to just listen to yourself. Not others, just yourself. No one knows what is best for you, except you. No one else knows what brings you joy but you. Just you.

Listen to the silence. Explore and express yourself. That is what will bring you joy. That is what will make you joyful.

Have a great day!

Sincerely,

Janet Trickett Merryman

Editor’s Note; I am thrilled to have Janet participate here at Beautiful Summer Morning. Many of you might recognize the name because Janet has contributed many beautiful photo’s to this site. This is her first article for us. Please comment and let her know what you think. Feedback is the life blood of site’s like this.

Nick

Joyful, Love, Joy, art, photography, silence, self-development, self+help,

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Copyright by CA Bate. Photo contributed by CA Bate.

When I was about five I informed my mother that
a.) I am not now or ever taking off my new red roller skates,
and b.) I do not wish to eat animals or anything really
except oranges and fresh peanut butter. Thanks anyway.

Mother allowed me to go to sleep wearing my new red roller skates, but slipped them off after I fell asleep. She also took me to our family MD two weeks later because true to my word, I had eaten only oranges and peanut butter. He was from Estonia and a wonderful man. He told mom he couldn’t think of a healthier diet than oranges and peanut butter and she should leave me be. I returned to a normal diet at some point. Mother was quite pleased and relieved as she had been reared to believe human beings of necessity are required to eat both plants and animals and that’s the way it is.

Photo copyright by CA Bate. Photo Contributed by CA Bate

I think the topic of inner values and what is right and true for a person needs to be explored; then lived out. At five, I believe most people know precisely what their inner values are; though they cannot articulate them. At five the inner voice is strong and well connected to the rest of us. I’m thinking about her today. And the sixteen and the twenty seven year old.

I got a birthday parcel from my wonderful friend I have known since I was 13. I phoned her so we could talk while I opened her gift. We had so much fun. And her gifts were so young! Wonderfully bright, whimsical, smell-good, playful.

I guess I’m just thinking about times in my life I knew exactly who I was, what I valued, what was right for me. I remember mom let me paint my bedroom in “jungle” colors of green. I took out my bed and made the closet into a sleep room. I put up posters of wild animals and plants. I hung live plants from the ceiling. I made a wild Kingdom for myself. I loved that room. Later that same room I painted purple and pink, girlish, light hearted. It’s FUN to express yourself.

Editor’s Note: I want to say a special thanks to CA Bate who contributed the photos that make this story come alive. Thank You. Nick

Inspirational+Article, inspirational+story, Roller+Skates, Oranges, wisdom, love, values, inner+voice

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