Tag Archives: activity

Quoting: Enjoy Your Self-Talk When Doing What You Must

Sometimes you can find ways to actually enjoy doing something dull or boring. But when you can’t come up with a creative way to enjoy what you are doing, you can still talk to yourself in interesting and fun ways. Your hands will be engaged in an activity that you need to do, but your mind will be engaged in a running dialogue that is interesting and even entertaining.

How you feel at any given moment will depend greatly on your self-talk at that moment. Even if you start out with negative self-talk that creates distress, realize that your thoughts are the key factor in whether you will feel good or bad.

People who have learned how to talk to themselves in ways they find enjoyable find enjoyment when others find distress. They don’t procrastinate as much. They get more done. If you can’t think creatively when you’re doing something you don’t enjoy, you can always think thoughts of gratitude. Thinking gratefully lifts your spirit and is the basis of happiness.

-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s book: “Taking Action” – pages 69-70

Quoting: Serene Zrizus

Some people become overwhelmed when they feel they have too many things to do and they don’t have enough time to do them. This overwhelmed feeling causes them to move more slowly than they usually do. Their minds becomes unclear. It’s hard for them to focus and concentrate. Instead of becoming more efficient at what they have to do, they act way below their standard competency level.

What is the solution? Serene zrizus!

What does it mean to have serene zrizus? It means that you take action, and you do so with full speed ahead while remaining calm and tranquil inside. You move as fast as is appropriate for the specific situation and circumstance. But you have peace of mind.

You might not have previously associated zrizus with serenity, but now you can. Your mindset acknowledges that you will do everything that you have to do and that you will have an inner calm. Although you might move quickly, inwardly you are at ease.

A key benefit of having serene zrizus is that you think clearly. You think about what you need to do, and you remain calm as you take action.

-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s book: “Taking Action” – pages 55-6