Mindfulness

Activity Dedication

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You can try a dedication with any challenging activity in your life where successful outcomes are not guaranteed even though you are trying your hardest, and where you feel tempted to give up, slack off, or lose concentration. You want success to be possible but not a given, and for there to always be the possibility of doing even better.

Choose someone that you really care about and dedicate your activity to them. In a spiritual sense you can think of it as sending good vibes their way, which will probably create positive feelings. In a psychological sense it’s a very useful way to bring some hidden truths about yourself, your relationships, and your life to the surface.

Your activity will take on new dimensions. We often tell people how much we care about them, we say we would do anything for them, even die for them. The dedication lets us put our money where our mouth is. It’s easy to make these declarations in times of equilibrium but what about in times that are physically or mentally exhausting, where quitting or giving partial effort is tempting?

No matter how hard you try you still might come up short of what you set out to do, which is useful because of the opportunity to deal with frustration, human limitations, and the impossibility of controlling every variable in life. Even if you do your best it might not be enough, and in a way you’ll be letting the person you care about down. All of this happens in a safe space where the outcome doesn’t decide anything definitively.

However it goes for you, be non-judgmental towards yourself. Just be aware of the feelings and thoughts that surge up during and after. Some common ones are pride, love, frustration, guilt, gratitude, resignation, exhilaration, peace, and a heightened sense of connection. We spend a lot of time imagining possibilities in our lives. The dedication gives us a chance for action.

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