After doing something good, let go 

and await the next opportunity.

Upon doing something good, some people pause and await the acclaim. If it comes in a sufficient amount, they’ll take on another such task. If the praise is insufficient or not forthcoming, they may deem such efforts a waste of energy and cease doing them.

Other people may not expect the acclaim to be immediate but will run a mental tally of the recognition they consider their due. Failing to receive the desired amount in a reasonable time frame, they too may cease such actions or decide to make the bargain terms more clear next time. 

Another group comprises those who do something good without any expectation of recognition. If it is forthcoming, they try to remain unaffected as they continue with their good actions.

The fourth group?

Not only do they not expect praise for their exemplary acts, they also prefer that others do not even know the good actions were theirs, so their good karmic retributions will not be enjoyed, and so wasted, in the form of acclaim. 

Thoughts can transform in an instant. Hopefully in the right direction.

Let’s view our Must-Do List 

as an  Opportunity-List.

I don’t know about you, but my To-Do List seems prone to taking on a parental or boss-like tone. It becomes a long list of must-dos. Little wonder the list manifests an adversarial tone rather than a we’re-in-this-together-so-let’s-get-going tone. 

But what if the next time we look at our list, we view it as an inventory of opportunities waiting eagerly for us to join in? 

That task to answer an email can become a chance to strengthen a friendship or help someone check off an item on their own list. 

The task to write an article could provide an opportunity to help others learn a new skill or maybe gain a new perspective on a social issue. 

The task reminding us to run the protection app on our computer can prevent it from shutting down just when a yearly deadline looms. 

If we could view tasks as helpful rather than demanding, they might even become enjoyable.