Dear
Rachel,
I
have always managed to get my Passover preparations completed every year, but
this time I feel different. I am really stuck! I find myself putting off the
cleaning and preparations every day while distracting myself with needless work
or with things that are complete time wasters. I just don’t have any motivation
this year and don't know what to do.
Sincerely,
Anna
Dear
Anna,
First off, I want to assure you that though it doesn't feel like it, everything is going to turn out well – very well! Every year, people are tense about Passover preparations, and yet every year it ends up miraculously working out! Attitude makes all the difference. But sometimes, we need to have a mental shift to experience the right attitude. Considering we often get bogged down with endless tasks, I want to introduce you to a different take on Passover preparations, where the focus is not just a long to-do list but rather, there is ONE primary focus:
Making
space for God to bring personal redemption into my life.
During
the Passover Seder, we read about the Exodus to remember what God did for us.
To truly feel that gratitude, we try to imagine having been a slave in Egypt.
We also contemplate where in our current life we can relate to having that
slave mentality: of being stuck in a situation we feel powerless to change. We
try to visualize how God not only freed us during the Exodus but also how He
continues to free us today, helping us develop deep gratitude for His
continuous salvation. The way we can genuinely internalize this experience is
by making space in our heart and mind for God to bring our personal redemption.
Tapping into this mindset in advance can connect us more deeply with the true
meaning of the holiday, giving us the motivation we need to accomplish our
Passover preparations without the negativity that typically goes along with
them.
Here's
how you get into this mindset: Establish a yearly tradition, right before
starting Passover preparations, to make special time for yourself to write.
Choose a place you will feel inspired to think and check-in with yourself.
Light a candle if you wish, enjoy your favorite hot drink, and get honest with
yourself. Write down what is really happening in your life, in your heart, and
your mind: What is your greatest struggle right now? What fears and self-limiting
beliefs hold you back from fully living your purpose in the world? How can you
improve your level of trust in what God brings your way? And lastly – are you
able to let go in life when it's clear that you need to in order to embrace the
opportunities that lie ahead of you? Letting go was the mindset required for
all the Jewish slaves that left Egypt. This is how they made space for God; how
they were able to follow Moses out of Egypt and into the wilderness – into the
complete unknown where the ultimate redemption took place. Making this time for
yourself is what can inspire your connection to God and the Exodus
experience.
The
good news is that you don't have to wait till next year to try this out – you
can do this today!
It's
difficult when our feelings can be fickle, demanding, or fussy, much like
little children lacking perspective. But by engaging our intellect (the mature
adult in all of us), we can gain the perspective we need to make Passover the
truly transformative experience it was meant to be. B'Hatzlacha!
All the very best, Rachel Trilokekar
Thank you to those who have e-mailed me with their questions. If you would like your question to be featured in the next issue of Ladies’ World, please e-mail: RachelTrilokekar@gmail.com
