Authentic Pleasure Is Priority One

by Scott Noelle

The single most powerful thing you can do to make parenthood into a joyful journey is to decide that authentic pleasure is your top priority.

This is not about the fleeting, superficial pleasure you can derive from hedonistic or self-centered behavior. While such pleasure is not wrong, too much is unsustainable. But you can never have too much authentic pleasure, which comes from satisfying your deepest desires.

You may fear that prioritizing authentic pleasure would make you a negligent parent, but the impulse to be neglectful is usually a reaction to self-sacrifice. When you drop the belief that self-sacrifice is necessary, nurturing your child AND yourself can become a profoundly pleasurable, creative process.

This shift unfolds from the inside out, so as you reach for pleasure, don’t shift your actions until you’ve shifted your thinking.

When your thoughts are aligned with your Authentic Self, you’re inspired to actions that serve the greater good, and you know you’re on track because you feel that deep, enduring, authentic pleasure.

Improve Your Groove

For the next few days, pay close attention to how you feel. Notice when you’re tolerating stress and re-affirm your top priority: to seek authentic pleasure from the inside out.

Originally published on 2007-04-06
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