Chore
Chore lies in the eyes of the beholder.
There are somethings that we consider routine. There are somethings that we consider as part of the larger tasks or goals we are chasing.
As we move from moment to moment and task to task in service of our goals, there comes experiences where we feel that a certain element of the task is just not “interesting us or its boring”, or “i am cut out for something better and this should be done by others or some automation”, or “we need to quickly do and get over it”.
Over the years, sometimes i have been taking a small step back while having these experiences. Checking in body: my emotion, scanning for my body tensions, scanning for the brain-tensed areas or facial-tension areas. Sometimes also checking in my concepts around these things/chores/boring. Sometimes moving the body slowly or fast during these chores. Sometimes using a different step-wise process whilst doing the chore…and many such ways.
The appreciation for these routine or chores have only grown. Not only that, they have been gifting me with lots and lots of insights and humbling and solace. Not only that, these have been enabling a deeper “savoring” of of the already interesting.
I believe that doing the interesting is easy. But holding the boring in awareness and developing interest is the difficult. But done over a period of time, it has the potential for self-transformation.
Washing utensils, cleaning fans, mopping home, dusting off the cabinets, indexing papers, cleaning toilet, and more such chore have huge opportunities for self-discovery and also for insights.
During a conversation, where someone is mentioning about something i know already, and yet training attention and listening to them, has offered me a huge potential to connect and or validate or discover.
Watching the same video/movie again, reading the same book again, going over the same podcast again, being observant to daily routes of commutes in a curious way, has huge potential for connecting with them and our ownself in deeper ways. Most times, i have been amazed coming back from them with insights.
Here’s inviting you to yourself through chores in your life. Happy Meeting with Yourself!