Thank You, Disillusionment

"Thank You, Disillusionment" is a line in an Alanis Morissette song. Isn't it ironic? At first blush, it sounds ridiculous. But after further thought, it makes so much sense...

You might find that you're going along, minding your own business, driving your SUV or mini-van to and from the office, school, the skating rink, and Whole Foods. Each day feels similar -- same coffee, same shampoo, same boss. These things are familiar, comforting. You might think to yourself "I am settled" or "I have a lot of things that my parents never had" or "I'm doing pretty well for being only __ (insert your age here) years old." And then one day, you really don't feel like getting out of bed. Its like you're wearing leaden pajamas. Your head might be aching, or your back, or even your heart. The thought of drinking that same coffee, washing your hair with that same shampoo, and having to review the same status report with the boss feel like Herculean tasks.

What happened while you were sleeping? Disillusionment crept in. Suddenly, those things that you thought were really important to you, those things that are important to your boss, your neighbor, or E!, are simply not that important. In fact, you might not even be able to remember what is important. Or maybe things have changed, and you hadn't noticed. You might find yourself pulling the covers over your head, or digging your fingernails into the sheets.

What now? How could you possibly rise up out of bed and stumble downstairs? Try this. What does your heart tell you to do? Place your hand over your heart. Take a deep breath. Ask your heart again: "what should I do?" Wait for a minute. What did your heart tell you?

It might have told you to get out of bed, get dressed, and catch the train to the office because doing that will make it possible to take that trip to Hawaii you've always dreamed of, or maybe your heart will tell you that it is absolutely essential that you make major changes in your life, or maybe it will tell you to go play with your dog.

The gift of a flash of disillusionment is that it strikes quickly and with force. It makes us stop and think about how we are living. And it can get us in touch with our heart, and maybe even help us to achieve a sense of clarity about what's most important to us.

Thank you, disillusionment.