Why We Do What We Do

Hi, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session we're going to talk about why at the heart of all of our striving, we're just trying to feel more whole, connected and loved. This may feel like a hard truth to, to touch into, especially when we're caught in our mission or working hard toward our goals. It can feel like these pursuits are, uh, ends in themselves. They're the things that we want, that will give us the satisfaction.

But if we really drop into it and we really see, why am I doing what I'm doing? Why do I want to get in this relationship? Why do I want this job? Why do I want to make this money? Or why do I want to live in this location? There's often a sense that, that it will reduce to feeling a little bit more whole connected to other people or something bigger than ourselves and feel a sense of, uh, love. And so you don't have to take this at face value. You can explore this in your own life and, and just play the around with asking yourself the question. Why do I do what I do? It's like, why do I have this job? Why do I do it? It's like to make money. Well, why do I, why do I want money? Well, then I could have a family.

Well, why do I want to have a family? Well then I'll feel more connected. Why do I want to feel more connected? Because I don't feel more loved, whatever it might be. It might take a longer period of time to really get to the essence of it. But most things will reduce to some sense of feeling more whole, connected and loved. And so if we just for a moment, take that as a potential truth, it's really an invitation for us to explore why we're doing what we're doing in the world.

There are certain things we absolutely need to do, you know, especially like making money so that we can have a home, a roof over our head take care of our family. Uh, and so we continue to do that, but look at other things that you might be pursuing thinking that, h, this is going to give me a sense of connection, like make a lot of money. Or this is going to give me a sense of love, like have a lot of fame. And try and challenge those things. Because often we have distorted ideas of how these things will bring us that love or connection.

And if you talk to people who have accomplished those things, you'll often see that they're not in the place that you really think it will take you. So this is why it is important to periodically assess why we're doing what we're doing and whether or not our current life path is truly taking us in the direction of these deeper needs. So hopefully this gives you something to think about. Thank you for your practice. And let's settle in for today's meditation.