Once a week, Melissa and I unplug.
We unplug from our email and our phones. We unplug from our work with OhMyGod Life. We even unplug from each other!
I go into my office, shut the door, and spend the day reading and watching my favorite shows and movies.
Melissa does the same. Except she does so in the rest of the house. (I like a good cave. Melissa likes space.)
As much as I love my unplugged Mondays, there is one part of being unplugged that’s taken some getting used to.
Virtually every Monday, at the end of the day, I feel a little down. Everything seems flat. When I think about Tuesday, and diving back into OhMyGod Life, I can’t fathom it. Not only that, I wonder why we’re even doing it in the first place. What’s the point? Why does any of it matter?
So I guess you could say that I have a teeny little existential crisis at the end of every Monday.
At first, this phenomenon freaked me out. Was it a function of what I really felt? Did it mean I didn’t really want to do our ministry?
Or was it, perhaps, a result of the sloth of being unplugged. Maybe the lack of plug was bad for me in some way?
Over time, I’ve come to see that neither is the case.
How do I know this?
Because of what happens every Tuesday.
Every Tuesday morning, I wake up raring to go.
Everything looks rosy. I can’t wait to jump into OhMyGod Life. I have new energy. New enthusiasm. New everything.
Even with my end-of-the-day snag, my unplugged day served its purpose. It filled my proverbial tanks, leaving me gassed up and ready to go. Even though I felt like gas was nowhere in sight at the end of Monday.
I’ve come to see my Monday evening/Tuesday morning routine as a smaller version of the larger phenomenon of living my passion.
Periodically, Melissa and I will slip into doubt about our ministry. Why are we doing it? Does anyone even care?
Our doubt may come in reaction to a setback. Or something someone says. Or it might simply come from the pesky thoughts inside our minds.
When faced with such questions, we turn to our spiritual practice. We meditate. We pray. We do our gratitude practice. And the doubt subsides. We remember why we love what we do.
Every Monday evening, I experience a mini version of the Doubt Dilemma. Except with practice and experience, I’ve learned to not take my thoughts seriously. I know that they’re simply a function of stepping back.
Indeed, my work with OhMyGod Life is so fulfilling, it makes sense that I feel a bit unmoored when I’m not engaged in it.
And yet I have to step away in order to keep going.
It’s only natural to think that if we love something, we want to do it all the time. All or nothing.
But “all or nothing” thinking is a product of the human mind. Not life.
Life is more complicated than that. Messier. Life has all kinds of things going on, all at once.
Passion includes doubt. Moving forward includes moving back.
And loving OhMyGod Life includes freaking out about it once a week and thinking I never want to do it again.
What’s your experience with passion and doubt? Share your comments below!
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Such a good piece of writing Z. I’m going to
Watch for
This pattern in my own life!
Hi Jan,
Wonderful to hear from you. And thank you! 🙂
XOZ
Thank God/Spirit for your recharging day! Because of it, I get to keep being blessed and uplifted by both of you! I still have an old inner tape that plays in a loop, “If you’re not productive, you’re useless!” I am starting at age 70 to give myself permission for a recharging time. Reading your post helps reaffirm that permission. Thank you!
Hi Gary!
Yes! I support your recharging time. Let me know how it’s going!!
XOXOXOZ
We’re going through post-vacation re charging. Thanks for making it ok to hold off on doing all those chores right away. Blessings.
Hi Suzanne,
Yes, the chores can wait!
Hugs,
XOZ
Life is so darn cyclical, isn’t it? But when I’m in the down parts, I think THIS IS IT. Then, something happens, a recharge, hours spent on a decent painting, a good conversation w a friend, a good text from my son, a good night’s sleep…and voila, I’m back at the top of the wheel again.
Hi Gail,
Yup, that sounds familiar! 🙂
XOZ
As an entrepreneur I totally OVERstand this one. Thanks for sharing. It was the reminder I needed.
Hi Sonia,
I love this – OVERstand. LOL
XOZ
Very interesting Z,
How can I make contributions to Oh My GOD Life! Monthly?
Hi BJ,
Hi! If you’re interested in becoming a member, you can go HERE:
https://www.patreon.com/c/OhMyGodLife
Thank you!
XOZ
Thanks for explaining this one. I just experienced it this last weekend. Jim wasn’t feeling well so we didn’t go to church. We watched it on line instead. We then proceeded to spend the rest of the day laying low and doing very little except eating and relaxing. Then on Monday when I got up I started going thru paper piles and sorting and trashing things. I was full of energy like I am not usually. It felt really good to get things done on my to do list. So now I know it is okay for me to rest and recharge. I’m 78 but my mind tells me I should be able to do what I did when I was 40. Thanks guys. Love your wisdom and knowledge.
Hi Gail,
Thank you so much for sharing this example of the power of resting and recharging. Yay! 🙂
Sending lots of Love!
XOZ
There’s no point in my telling you to never doubt that you’re doing great things with your ministry, because you’ll have your doubts when they come up. What I can say is that your ministry is very important in my life and I am so grateful to you for it! Thanks for sharing this story.
Hi Sue,
Thank you so much. We appreciate you!! 🙂
XOZ