We get grumpy when we don’t get what we want. So maybe… if we controlled our desires we would be less grumpy?
Take a moment and just list off all the things you want. Maybe you are lucky and that little exercise made you feel motivated. More than likely you are like a lot of other people and that list feels pretty heavy.
Now, imagine for a minute if you stopped ruminating on all those things you want to have and just started doing the things you wanted to do? Maybe that seems a little better.
Let me share a personal example.
I have had an entry level recurve bow since 2012. I bought it because I have always had a fascination with archery and a desire to be a skilled archer and maybe even get good enough to go on an annual hunt. My bow has sat idle in a cabinet on my back porch for the past 5 years, just out of sight but not often out of mind. Every time I had to go into that cabinet I was reminded of my desire to be an archer, and of my “failure” to ever shoot with any meaningful frequency. I got real grumpy about that bow. I hated seeing it and it weighed on me. But it wasn’t the bow or my lack of skill that led to suffering… It was this needling little desire that ate away at the edges of my consciousness and every now and then spiked up and manifested in other ways (typically on yard work days when I had to get into the cabinet for weed whip wire).
About a month ago I decided to do something about this (and some other nagging desires) and started doing instead of desiring.
I set up a small range in my garage strung up the bow and instead of ruminating in the desire to be an archer… I just started shooting arrows.
I’m only about 2 weeks into this new little adventure of shooting arrows for 10 minutes every morning… and by no means am I claiming any type of “archer status” but the most amazing thing happened. I haven’t been grumpy about that bow.
The lesson here is to put aside the “desire” which is likely eating up your time and energy, and instead use that time and energy to do something about it.
Said even simpler… replace desire with action.
