What's So Great About Pleasure?

You may be wondering, "What's the big deal about this Pleasure Path, anyway?"

You may even be thinking that something as light and airy-sounding as "pleasure" is frivolous, trivial, irresponsible, decadent, a dangerous distraction. What kind of havoc would we wreak if we abandoned ourselves to the pursuit of pleasure?

Awakening to pleasure means noticing what makes us feel good and what makes us feel bad. And committing ourselves to feeling good. When we make this commitment, we are telling the world that our happiness and joy really do matter. That it is not tolerable to allow situations that rob us of our joy. We heed our feelings and intuition, we do the things that give us a sense of purpose.

Prioritizing our pleasure means that we are actually showing up to life. And showing up is what the world really wants from us. It's what our kids want, what our partner wants, what our friends want, what our clients want. They may think they want things from us, but what they really want is us. We may think that we're showing up to do stuff for them but if we're unhappy, we are really just going through the motions. How many years could be wasted doing that? We may think that we can't afford the luxury of taking care of ourselves. But are we really doing anyone a service by being emotionally malnourished?

I'm sure any of us can remember those old-school old schoolteachers who were extremely cranky because they were unhappy. They sure made life hell for the kiddies. Yet they probably imagined that they were doing their duty by everyone. It was a waste of time, wasn't it?

The old airplane emergency procedure drill emphasizes that you have to put on your own oxygen mask before helping another person with theirs.

You already know intellectually that only when you take care of yourself can you take care of others. Pleasure -- seeking pleasure, getting to know your own pleasure points, is a quick and easy way to remember how to take care of yourself! It's portable, it's adaptable, it's ever-changing, and very personal. It either works, or it doesn't. And you can always try again!

A pleasure outlook makes the journey fun. And fun is serious business. Who is going to benefit your children or clients more, a stressed-out martyred you, or an energized, mischievous you?

So...Pleasure On, Baby!