The secret of happiness is to ask yourself every day:(1) What’s good about my life?
(2) What needs to be done?
(3) How can I get this done and enjoy the process?
Those three questions, especially the last one, are an ongoing project for me. And as I’ve mentioned before, doing income taxes is my yearly test to see how I’m doing. I’ve paid careful attention to why parts of it bothered me and have tried to make it easier each year. (Andy uses TurboTax and I go through the forms by hand so we catch one another’s mistakes. That helps a lot.) Finally this year, thanks to Andy simplifying the paper work and my new Digits app for my iPad, I passed with flying colors.
I was really tired one evening a week or so ago, and I wanted to something pleasant and relaxing. Amazingly enough I decided that working on the federal tax was the only thing that appealed to me. I already had all the numbers I needed and just needed to do the calculations. So I got into bed, made myself comfortable, and finished it. There may be hope for me yet. 🙂
What about you? Do you ever ask those three questions? Have you ever learned to enjoy doing a task that you used to dread?
Hello, Jean. I love the positive tone of your post. I find housework, especially cleaning, incredibly boring. However, if I put my heart and soul into the task, I know I can find joy in it. Now the question is, do I have the will to do that? That’s what makes the difference.
i have yet to do my taxes. and they’re quite simple.
it seems i don’t make enough income to have to claim the selling of my house as capital gains… LOL! so that was a nice surprise. but i will pick a day when it “feels right” and go to the library and find a nice quiet table for one and just get them done. irs probably hates me. i still do mine on paper.
but it’s only one sheet and i get the same little refund every year. they should know it by heart by now. 🙂
When I have to do taxes is the day I move into an assisted-living place. –No, they don’t do taxes either. Tom uses Turbo tax but still it’s a big process.
Jobs I’d put off, I find are not bad when I do them. Maybe fun? –I enjoy keeping house lol.
Now outside to decided the direction to put new rock. It’s turned from heavy noon rains everyday (distant past) to near desert conditions in the last 20 yrs.
5 min. later: Can’t go out. It’s raining 😀
Maria,
Thanks for the encouragement. About housework — I cheerfully admit I don’t have that much to do. My daughter is grown and we’ve lived in a 1000-square foot apartment for the last 37 years. It’s a simple but carefree life. How old are your children now? And I imagine living with our mother-in-law is anything but carefree! Anyway, when we feel like it we can give the work our full attention as a form of meditation, or we can use the time to mull over some creative project. Whatever works is my motto. I’m an experimenter at heart.
tammy,
We send our taxes in on paper too. I have great faith that if they really care they will make it much more of a hassle to do.
bikehikebabe,
I would much rather do it by hand than use TurboTax, but I’m glad Andy is willing to wrestle with it. The problem is some of the questions are confusing. This year we spent a lot of time figuring out how to change things so the answers were correct. On the other hand, it does have some nice features, like comparing this year with last year. It makes it easier to see if we left something out. My guess is it will get easier the more years we use it.
Hurray for your rain! Andy says he literally got four drops up there. I don’t think it rained over here at all. 🙁
No, I don’t consciously ask those three questions, as attractive as they are to get a proper perceptive on one’s life. By habit, I consciously meditate everyday when some of the mantras that I use to start the process express gratitude for all the good things in my life and seek universal good and that sets the mood for the rest of the session and also the day. I just get into the flow of all the activities that happen during the rest of the day and by night fall am quite tired to enjoy good quality sleep. What more can a man ask for?
Rummuser,
That’s great! Glad things are going so well for you.
I recall reading these questions on another post of yours. It has aided me… I actually get into laundry now… don’t ask!
I was a math major; for many years taxes were for entertainment(smile).
I don’t need to do taxes either…because I am not earning anything! But I do have to IRD (Inland Revenue Department) sending me a statement every few months of re-payments (voluntary nature) made. In fact there a couple of pages which all are repeated weekly automatic payments that looks a waste of ink/paper…
Next week, I have a big job – which might start this weekend as I need to print off a lot of paper at home. Then work through the past four weeks of class information so I can see if I need to get some help from Stephen (course co-convenor)
I have allocated Mon/Tues to deal with the paperwork…and then if necessary see someone Thursday.
Last class on this coming Wednesday for flax weaving (raranga). Which I have totally enjoyed even if I have problems with the whole process 🙂
Dixie,
I know what you mean about entertainment. I thought I was the only one!
Cathy,
Even though you don’t have to worry about taxes, you sure do have your share of paperwork! Good luck.
Going to start paperwork in a short while, as I had planned an art-making project for today which would need to be partially outdoors – but it’s dull and raining so the things I need are going to be too wet, even if the rain stops!
I have flexibility to change projects when they are homebased 🙂
Cathy,
Yes! I love having a flexible schedule. 🙂