One of the most immediately simple spiritual things you can do is accept the work you do for money completely. Relax into it, figure out how to do it competently, and attentively but not compulsively. No matter what it is. It might even be better if you have a dull and tedious, or stressful and thankless job. That increases both the challenge and the reward.
The background of this thought was me having what, for a Late Decadence (I like that vastly better than the Late Capitalist I see everywhere, which is an absurdity only written by imbeciles) individual, was a hard day. I do physical labor for a living, and sometimes find myself sweating profusely and sore essentially everywhere. Certainly my legs, back, shoulders and arms.
I was having a longish day, one of a long series, and thought to myself: I can just nut up and accept this, and it will hurt vastly less emotionally than the self pity I’m allowing to fill myself right now. And that night, which was I think two nights ago, I actually had some somewhat pleasant dreams for a change. It’s usually darkness, some pain, and not infrequently me fighting something, like a demon. I’m used to it, but that’s of course not ideal, to put it mildly. It’s given me a certain something, but I will be glad to be rid of it.
And it hit me yesterday why so many people are leaving the workforce: anxiety. They approach their jobs with loathing and anxiety, and even though COVID is done (and was never that dangerous for most, I will keep pointing out, and easily managed with Vitamin D, Quercetin, Zinc, and Vitamin C, for most), the prolonged absences from work increased the sense of what I will call approach avoidance for so many people that in the midst of relatively high unemployment (come to think of it, I haven’t seen unemployment numbers recently, which must mean they are detrimental to the Bidenistas), I am seeing places close for lack of workers.
This is, to me, an interesting insight. If someone hates, say, a job as a manager at Wendy’s, because that is all they can get, despite graduating magna cum laude in Gender Confusion studies from a reputable university, then would they prefer planting rice in a rice paddy for subsistence? Building their own log cabin from trees they cut down? That would be nobler and more dignified and more socially connected? Well, would you like to try it for a week? I think you will find yourself coming back to Wendy’s quickly.
I think a great many of us grow up functionally lazy, with the tacit assumption that on some level, none of us should NEED to work. That life is supposed to be devoid of things we don’t like to do, which is all those things that are not eating, playing video games, watching TV/internet things, and sleeping. Anything but that is to be resented, and if it actually makes DEMANDS on us, in energy, anxiety and time, then the WORLD IS UNFAIR. So obviously, you know, we need Socialism and a guaranteed national income. This is fat, soft people thinking this, and there are a lot of them, and all of them are Leftists, by and large.
So I write, for those of you tired of being nuts, accept your job. Learn how to bring the right energy to it so you are neither overwhelmed or bored or resentful. It literally does not matter what it is. You can use it as a daily meditation, and be happier for it.
I think there would be powerful spiritual value in this for a great many Americans right now. I am very sincere in this. I am going to try and do the same for myself. I ache nearly all the time, but you know what? It’s not that bad. And I am getting enough sleep, even if I do wish I fell asleep easily, stayed asleep, and had pleasant dreams. That may happen someday, but I will need to earn it. Is this good or bad? I don’t know: but that is how it is.
One other thing: I really think one day off a week is enough, if you do it right. Here is another challenge for you: get so GOOD at resting, at forgetting, at letting go, that taking off one day a week is sufficient for you. Work your five days at your day job, then do something requiring focus and effort on the 6th.