Monday Manna
Decision fatigue and getting back to the basics...
Good morning, friends, and deep peace and joy to you today ~ (we need some joy, friends!!)
I was paging through an old journal the other day and found this quote from United Nations secretary general Dag Hammarskjold…
“If only I may grow: firmer, simpler, quieter, warmer.”
They were words he’d penned in his diary, discovered years later. This simple life intention toward humility, maturity, and spiritual growth, and inner peace clicked something into place for me. It was a moment of ahhhh, yes. This is part of my compass…
You’ve probably heard, or talked yourself, about “decision fatigue.” How many of us feel a silent eruption of celebration when the friend we are going to meet is completely decisive in saying where we should meet and what we should do? Or do you also sit to plan a week’s worth of dinners and wonder if you’ve ever planned meals before in your life because you can’t think of a single thing to make?
It’s partly due to the number of choices we have. More options lead to harder decisions.
Now, there are ways people minimize decisions for the future on some of these practical things. Barack Obama was an advocate for wearing the same blue or gray suit every day because he knew he needed every ounce of energy he had going toward more important decisions. Or maybe you eat some of the same things every day — when I’m home, I almost always drink the same smoothie each morning. It’s one less thing.
Back to the quote…In the same stream as decision fatigue, there’s a lot of messaging on decluttering and minimalism when it comes to our physical space or our time-management. But what this quote from Dag Hammerskjold opened up for me was how we can apply this minimizing of decisions and simplification to our values and how we want to live. Decision-making becomes easier when I’m clear on what my values are, and hold the decision up to that.
For example, if one of your values is truth, then you never need to be conflicted about lying again. You’ll decide to always be honest.
Or maybe it’s to be generous. Or patient. Or calm. Or kind.
Maybe one of your values is to grow and be expansive, and so you look at the decision before you and ask what would lead to a bigger heart and view of the world. What will help me to grow?
For me, I love this list from Hammarskjold — what will make me firmer, simpler, quieter, and warmer?
And then, the foundational value beneath all of this, of course, comes from Jesus himself. And that is Love. I’ve written here before about a question spiritual teacher James Finley often quotes — “All things considered, what is the most loving thing I can do right now?” (and I would add that “loving” pertains in a crucial way to loving yourself!)
There was once a rich ruler who asked Jesus to tell him the most important commandment. The one piece of guidance that would make his decisions clear. Jesus spelled it out directly — to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength (Matthew 22).
Living by the value of love loosens the internal conflict, and keeps us on the path toward being the person we want to be. So, for today — even if we still aren’t sure what to wear or make for dinner, let’s embrace the most important decisions as already made.
To be firmer…with a strong sense of our own integrity and what we are about.
To be simpler…letting go of the myriad of things our ego whispers.
To be quieter…finding peace and internal stillness amid the noise around us.
To be warmer...deepening our compassion, connection, and openness.
And to love.
A Prayer
Here is a prayer from my book, Ash and Starlight, for the decision fatigue and getting back to the heart of who you are and want to be.
When I need to get back to the basics
Tender One,
How blessed I am, God, to have
your love, your peace, your reassurance—
you give me the comfort I need
to live my hardest days.
How blessed I am, God, to have
your strength, your courage, your self-control—
you give me the grit I need
to make tough decisions and follow through.
How blessed I am, God, to have
your grace, your forgiveness, your promise of new life—
you give me the mercy I need
to say, “I’ll make different choices today,”
and then do so.
You see me, God, as I truly am—
the core that’s been there since
I was a baby and blossomed as a child.
A core buried beneath all of these layers.
A layer of responsibility here and layer of image there…
the layers of expectations others place on me…
the layers of self-doubt and fear.
Please help me shed the layers, God,
and return to the core.
Help me reclaim who I truly am—
the person you’ve created me to be.
May I live boldly,
speak confidently,
love unconditionally,
9forgive readily,
and trust deeply.
Shape my life to match my soul.
With refreshed honesty
about myself and my heart,
I thank you for loving me as I am.
I embrace my true essence
and your work for me today.
Amen.
Psalm 139:13 * Philippians 4:19 * 2 Timothy 1:6
“[R]ekindle the gift of God that is within you…”
—2 Timothy 1:6
Something that nourished me recently…
*Yesterday marked International Women’s Day — a day to honor women’s achievements and advocate for equality. I love that the day’s signature color is purple, my favorite color! Purple signifies justice and dignity. Some ways you can mark the day: support a women-owned business, donate to a women-focused charity, thank a woman who has mentored you or find a young woman to mentor. Or watch Moana.
*I am so grateful for the blessing of this new book a friend gave me. It’s brought beautiful bookends to my days, and the art is so soothing. This is definitely a companion for becoming firmer, simpler, quieter, and warmer.
*Aerial yoga with my daughter…Though I’m going to stick to yoga on a mat from now on.
Ash and Starlight, plus other good things…
* MY ETSY SHOP ~ I’m working to prep some new prints, cards, and products to launch this spring! In the meantime, I have cards, prints, clothes, blankets, and pillows all for sale in my Etsy shop which you can view here . I send portions of sales in my Etsy shop to World Central Kitchen which provides hunger relief.
*SECOND EDITION OF ASH AND STARLIGHT ~ Find the updated edition of my book here at Chalice or at the Bookshop link.
*MONDAY MANNA ARCHIVES ~ Monday Manna each week is free! Paid supporters of Monday Manna can view previous Monday Manna reflections here, or for the really old stuff, go to my website.
*WHAT DOES MANNA MEAN? ~ Check out an earlier post to learn how this little bit of “daily bread” got its name…
Lighten the load today friends, with our mantra. Firmer, simpler, quieter, warmer…You will be a magnet to those around you if you live this way, showing this kind of life is possible. All grounded in love….
Love and Light,
Arianne
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