This article is not to say that King and Mead – and all others who believe in working hard – are wrong. This is merely an offering of alternatives to hard.
Hard means firm, solid, stiff, rigid, tough, unbreakable, inflexible, difficult, awkward, problematical, tricky, tough, demanding, testing, challenging, grueling, arduous, troublesome, cruel, callous, harsh, severe, unkind, brutal, strict, remorseless, pitiless, intense, violent, fierce, vigorous, relentless, fast.
When we work hard for a project, an employment, a relationship, or any goal, we develop an attachment to the work itself. This inevitably leads us to the temptation of playing some games:
- the Blame game when our hard work is not recognized: “You made me work hard for this; I deserve a reward.” “All my hard work for nothing…”
- the Guilt game when we fail: “I should have worked harder.”
- the Sacrifice game when we do it for someone: “My parents worked hard to put me to school. All their sacrifices have paid off. It is my turn to make sacrifices now for my children.”
- the Pride game when we succeed: “See? I did it my way!”
- the Attachment game when we misperceive: “My work is my life. It is who I am.”
In these contexts, fulfillment is dependent on human effort, most likely physical, mental, and emotional efforts. When such labor or actions are removed, where is the fulfillment? When the physical and intellectual factors are diminished, how can success be attained? Is there freedom and exhilarating joy in all that? What is the price to pay for working hard?
There are other words to replace hard. Consider easy, smart, joyful, excellent, determined, committed, on purpose, in alignment.
In the belief system that “life is easy, life loves me, life supports me, and I have everything I need,” work becomes co-operative with all of life. Work becomes a flowing along the abundant stream of creativity, innovation, collaboration, sharing, and infinite supply – “fluid, flexible and highly adaptable” in the words of Diarmuid O’Murchu.
Why shouldn’t life love us, if life is the extension of God Who Is All That Is? Life is Love is God. And why shouldn’t work be easy and joyful when we have everything we already need? Upon waking up, we give thanks for everything and ask our Creator: “What shall we do today? And how do we do it? How do You want me to bless the world today?”
In this new context, the human factor is simply the vehicle for purpose. As such, even the invalid, the physically disabled, the mentally challenged, the oldest, the youngest, the uneducated, the socially marginalized, and all those who do not have the physical and intellectual capacities to work hard can also feel fulfilled and successful, and be inspiring. Have we not witnessed and heard of people who were prompted by their intuition to create, innovate, and improve anything in such easy and effortless ways that we were compelled to ask, “Hey, why didn’t I think of that before?” Haven’t we heard them say, “I love what I do! It doesn’t feel like work!” and “Glory to God!”? In this context, we muse: “Is anything indeed too hard for God?” Did not Jesus say that, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light?”
Perhaps it is really hard work for those who push against their true calling. But for those of us who consciously work in conjunction with our purpose - blame and guilt, pride and sacrifice, and attachment and arrogance are not a temptation. It is not by our might nor by our power, but by the Spirit of God that we work. When we experience something contrary to what we want, it is just a learning point, an opportunity to clarify our awareness of who we really are and what our purpose really is.
Of course we do not dishonor the raw and physical exertions that athletes, soldiers, dancers, laborers, and mothers in childbirth actually experience. What they are doing – and what we are learning from them – is the dismantling of self-limitations and barriers against expansion and expression. Theirs is the “hardness” that matters.
A flower blooms easily. Rain falls effortlessly. Trees bend with the breeze. Life grows softly, quietly, gracefully. It is only through our unhealed minds that we misperceive a butterfly as wriggling hard against its cocoon, or a chick struggling and pecking its way out of its shell; our unhealed minds measure their efforts against their size. We judge incorrectly that the coming out is hard because we mistakenly believe that the emerging butterfly and chick are small, weak, and in pain. They are not. Our healed minds would lead us to see that their action is purposive, that they are strongly in alignment with who they really are, and are thus empowered and animated by their Source. We judge the cocoon and the eggshell as obstacles. They are not. Our healed minds would lead us to see that they are containers that have served their purpose and are ready to be discarded.
And so when are in alignment with our purpose, our work is easily guided; our countenance is bright and our energies are light. The outcomes and the products of our labor vibrate with quality and essence. There would be no need for insane and insatiable competition for greatness and more-ness.
Would we now embrace easily some of these words from Louise Hay and Orin and Daben?
- I work with ease and grace.
- As I do what I love, money and abundance flow freely to me.
- I value my time and energy.
- I choose to handle all my experiences with love, joy, and ease.
- I am always guided to the higher solution.
- I am abundantly provided as I follow my path.
- I always choose the path of most light.
- I commit to my path. I choose aliveness and growth.
- I serve others to the best of my ability in all I say and do.
- I am always at the right place at the right time, successfully engaged in the right activity.
- I honor and value my creativity and ideas.
- I honor myself in everything I do.
- Everything is coming to me easily and effortlessly.
- I know my value and honor my work.
- I honor and use my special skills and abilities.
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