Time is precious—you only have so much of it, and you never get back time that you lose or waste. Which means that wasting time on things that don’t put a smile on your face is something you want to avoid, if you can.
I’m a realist. I know there will always be times when you have to do things you’d rather not do. Life simply doesn’t work in a way where you always get to do only the things you enjoy. But you need to keep those times to a minimum.
When you spend your time doing things you enjoy, you feel happier, more fulfilled and more positive about your life. But when you spend time doing things you don’t enjoy (especially when you’ve chosen to do them), you feel the opposite—miserable, unfulfilled and negative. And when you feel this way, you move away from becoming your best self and living your best life.
When it comes to what you enjoy, everything is not always what it may appear. Not everything you think you enjoy is necessarily something you actually enjoy. So, as you think about where your passions lie, exercise caution.
Most people, and you’re probably no exception, try hard to convince themselves they enjoy certain activities but, deep down, would prefer not to do them at all. While sometimes it’s good to make the best of a situation, the more you do that, the more you begin to convince yourself that you actually enjoy those things – to the point where you truly believe it – and do them more often. This eventually leaves you feeling drained and miserable.
You need to get to grips with where your passions truly lie—to know those things you really enjoy, and those things you try to convince yourself you enjoy, but really don’t.
So how do you do that?
Imagine you could spend your time any way you wanted, without fear of feeling guilty or ashamed, or of others ridiculing you. What would you spend your time doing? Honestly. You see, the things you would do when no one could judge you are likely things you truly enjoy.
But there’s more to it.
What you enjoy doing right now is limited by the things you’ve already experienced. There are things out there you might enjoy that you’ve never even considered trying.
You can discover them if you’re willing to put in some effort. Do this by figuring out why you enjoy the things you do. When you know why something brings you joy—why it puts a smile on your face—you’ll find new opportunities that may also bring you happiness.
Understanding why you enjoy something doesn’t only help you expand your horizons—it can also help you root out things you don’t enjoy. It can uncover activities you merely believe you enjoy, or have convinced yourself that you enjoy.
Alongside exploring the things you enjoy, ask yourself what you would avoid doing if you could, and why that is. When you know what you don’t enjoy and why, you can spot those things coming and take steps to avoid them.
Remember, though, this isn’t a one-time exercise. Every time you have a new experience, think about how it fits with what you do and don’t enjoy. Ask whether you should embrace it or walk away.
The bottom line is this: when you know what brings you joy and focus your time on doing those things—and, as far as possible, avoid what doesn’t—you take a huge step towards becoming the person you truly are and living your best life.
So, this week, start getting to grips with what puts a smile on your face, and what wipes that smile right off. Then find ways to focus on the positives and rid yourself of the negatives.
