Being alive means being active. Activity is the insignia of life. And to believe that we will be happy when we have enough and will live doing nothing is picking up the wrong end of the stick.

Our mental impressions and tendencies need an outlet for their expression. Some negative tendencies of course we need to  sublimate with knowledge without living them out. But our positive tendencies must find their field of action.

When in prosperity we stop being active, we suffocate our inner self. And the energy within starts working against us and creates the agitation, frustration and feeling of emptiness. We have much, yet we feel impoverished within. It’s because we’ve stopped being active.

We may change our activity as we grow. But to stop is to perish. I was very inspired when my friend’s father decided to start farming prawns at the age of 83. Or when I met a 90 year old spirited lady managing her investments and regularly visiting her bank. It’s not the money, but their spirit and active life that keeps them young and happy.

When we engage in activity with a spirit of purpose, enjoying the moment and giving our best, our mind get focused and stays in an inspired mood. And not only have we engaged it positively, we’ve kept it so occupied that we’ve protected ourselves from our own negative tendencies surfacing. A positive mind is a relaxed mind.

And to serve is to live. To use our every breath and energy in doing our bit for ourselves, our families and society. When we serve we subordinate our ego for a higher purpose. Being egoless makes us relaxed.

Boredom can never find place in our life. Feeling bored is being like that unfortunate child who visits the amusement park but chooses not to sit on any ride. Our happiness lies not in doing nothing, but enjoying the roller coaster ride of life. Of course we must rest to restore our strength. But being lazy and idle is not resting. It’s wasting.

And when we wake up each morning with a plan and a purpose, we apply ourselves fully to squeeze out the juice each day has to offer us. And each night we sleep with contentment, feeling the enthusiasm for another day. Enthusiasm for life brings relaxation.

And with no time for boredom, negativity or laziness, we keep our mind positively occupied all the time. And in that constant engagement we purify our mind and start living in a mood of joyous exhaustion. It is then that we realise the paradoxical truth of life – Intense Work is Relaxation.