A little while ago I was having a "Do I have to?" sort of day. I finally had time to do a task I'd been putting off for ages and still didn't want to settle down to it. After much procrastination, I slumped down at the computer to get started and to my delight there was a complete power failure. Making the most of a very lucky reprieve, I popped the dogs and husband in the car and went for a lovely walk on the beach. It was a beautiful day and I came back recharged and in a much better frame of mind to complete what I needed to.

The whole experience got me thinking about chores, those everyday things that we have to do whether we feel like it or not: cooking, cleaning, the admin part of our job, or anything we may love doing, just not right now and certainly not everyday. The question is, how can we overcome our resistance or resentment and fulfill our "must do's" in a joyfully enthusiastic way?

Human beings are driven by deeply instinctive forces to move away from pain and towards pleasure and the key is learning when to push and when to indulge ourselves. It's about finding the balance, and one way to do that is to become a trusted friend to yourself. Who doesn't want the kind of friend who is there for you, who listens and comforts you when you need a hug, but will gently and firmly tell you when you are losing the plot?

By becoming your own best friend you create the space within yourself to explore what is really holding you back. The diagnosis is all important; taking every cough medicine on the market is not going to help a headache, nor will tidy cupboards pass an exam! We spend so much time dodging or avoiding what we dislike when sometimes all we need is to sit ourselves down with a cup of tea and have a friendly chat, with ourselves, about what's going on.

Of course if that fails, I highly recommend bribing yourself with a fabulous reward. It doesn't have to be big or expensive, just something that associates pleasure with your task. It's the perfect time to do as Gandhi suggests, be the change you want to see in the world and become your best friend forever!