There is a joke that goes, “Why does everyone complain about lazy people? They didn’t do anything!” Although we might think of laziness as doing “nothing,” it can actually have a very damaging effect on us spiritually.
The wisdom of Kabbalah teaches that laziness is part of our human nature, and in order for us to achieve our soul’s purpose, we have to constantly battle that aspect of ourselves. Over time, if a person allows laziness to creep in, it not only makes it harder to accomplish their purpose in life but also creates a layer of heaviness on everything in their lives. By fighting laziness, we make life much more fulfilling and filled with blessings.
Here are 3 tips to resist laziness and become more proactive:
1. Don’t push positive actions off to tomorrow – do them immediately.
Have you ever thought of something positive you wanted to do but decided to wait? Then the next day, it suddenly doesn’t seem so important or necessary. You might second guess yourself and decide not to act at all.
The problem with pushing things off until tomorrow is that, as time passes, the energy of our positive actions becomes more and more veiled. There are negative forces working against us. If you wait to do a powerful action until tomorrow, it will become more difficult, in ways you might not be able to see. Even if you still manage to do the action, it will be less impactful because of these negative forces.
If you think of a good deed you can perform, don’t wait. Take action immediately. This ensures the least resistance and the greatest impact.
2. When doing a positive action, quicken your pace.
If you feel you are lacking desire in any area, whether it be work or relationships, push yourself to do things faster. Pushing ourselves to behave swiftly awakens greater and greater positive desires, which help propel us forward. If you are on your way to do a good deed, try walking quicker. If you’ve started something important, finish it as quickly as you can. Just that action of quickening your pace will bring great benefit.
Of course, some things require a longer process. Acting swiftly doesn’t mean rushing or doing a subpar job. Take the time that is needed, but don’t drag your feet.
3. Schedule downtime to rest and recuperate.
Being proactive and working quickly doesn’t mean running yourself into the ground in exhaustion. It is important to have time for your mind to rest so that other creative ideas can come to you. Schedule time to unplug from everything and just be, whether that means meditation, quiet reflection, or relaxation. That isn’t laziness, it’s allowing you to build up the energy you need to tackle the important things. We can’t do our best without a balance between work and rest.
Every single person has to fight their laziness in order to achieve their greatest blessings. This is a fundamental truth to be able to experience life as we are meant to and accomplish the purpose of our souls. Think about the past week – what are the decisions you made or didn’t make because of laziness? What are the times you should have said yes instead of no? It’s never too late – put energy in immediately.
