We practice for the love of the practice itself (even if it is often hard to get started). After a while it becomes clear that some changes are happening, for me this meant I became more relaxed and open. I look back now and wonder how I lived in that mind full of 'shoulds' and 'oughts', and am very grateful to my teachers for signposting the exit points. When we no longer believe everything we think, when we learn to trust space, emptiness and the softness of our own company life gets really good.