“When you die, God and the angels will hold you accountable for all the pleasures in life that you denied yourself.”
~Anonymous

I share this quote with my clients (and friends and family) – even those who don’t believe in God or angels – because this is the type of reprimand I firmly believe we all need.

So many of us go through life denying ourselves so many different pleasures, big and small. We somehow have come to belief that self-denial and self-sacrifice is a great thing, that it’s better to put off what would make us feel good now for better rewards further on. I challenge us all to begin to view this differently.

There are times when it is perhaps better to postpone pleasure – when we decide not to indulge in the luscious dessert for health reasons; when we put others’ interests first because they are truly in need. However, there are many, many pleasures on a daily basis that we could all let into our lives that would harm no one and easily bring us joy.

We could stop to smell a beautiful flower or to fully enjoy a delightful meal. We could take a moment to bask in a gorgeous sunset or feel, really feel, the warm water on our shoulders in the shower. We could stop to share a moment of laughter with a friend or a stranger. All of these are ways to bring little pleasures into our daily life – ways that we may have been denying ourselves.

What if someone actually held you accountable for everything you denied yourself? What if someone held you to task for how many times you didn’t stop and “smell the roses” and allow yourself a bit of pampering and enjoyment? What if you allowed yourself as much pleasure as you could…and allowed it for others as well?

Where are you denying yourself pleasure? How can you let more pleasure into your life?
Please leave a comment to share.

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For help in bringing more pleasure into your life, contact Robyn at rmcleod@chatsworthconsulting.com.

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