Healthy Habits
Good Nutrition
Growth
Purpose
How about being less busy?
Looking back at the year would you be able to tell the difference between what was you being busy or you feeling the fullness of your life?
It’s almost like we have lost the ability to discern if our lives are amazing and full because we are always “so busy”.
For most of us, the word busy is built right into our everyday vocabulary. “I’m so crazy busy”. As a culture, we’ve normalized our addiction to a busy lifestyle.
We keep pushing and trying to do more and accomplish more and in the end, we feel guilty for all the things left undone. We are exhausted and overwhelmed instead of content and dare I say joyful.
It’s a vicious cycle.
We fill our days with endless tasks and to-do lists. And because we are “so busy’ we live life on autopilot. We are not present.
When you say yes to everything you say no to the things that matter most.
Yes, sometimes there are things that come up in life that are unavoidable. You are busy with those extra things and you are just trying your best to stay afloat. Definitely, shit happens.
But, we often say we are busy as an excuse or an apology. Like someone else is in control of our life making us do stuff we don’t want to do.
We say yes out of love, out of service, out of guilt, out of obligation.
But, here’s the thing, whatever is on your plate is there because you said yes to it.
Busy can be healthy but it can also be a stressful trap.
Let’s talk about obligation for a minute.
Obligation is a heavy word. When I think about obligation I think of duty, responsibility, commitment, burden, requirement, owing…The concept of obligation feels so constricting and yet we all feel some sense of obligation sometimes.
When we feel obligated and we don’t do something then we feel heartless, out of integrity, irresponsible, not grown up, immoral, and guilty.
But, here’s the thing, you have free will. You are not a victim. You can make a choice.
But, what do you say when you really can’t fit one more thing into your life? When you need to say no?
What if, instead of saying “I’m too busy” you told people the truth?
Rather than being in super crazy frantic mode about it, simply report on your life.
“I’ve been traveling a lot”, “It’s tax season”, “I want to spend time with my family”, “I’m really committed to my self-care right now”, “I really need some downtime”, “I want to watch Netflix”,
whatever it is
People will totally appreciate the honesty. No apologies or explanations are required. We all understand.
Our language shapes our reality. It’s time to reframe the idea of always “being busy”. And it’s totally okay to say NO.
I encourage you to make choices based on what’s essential to you and what you want to cultivate more of.
When you make conscious choices, those choices become a way more powerful form of service, than if you say yes to everything.
Listen to your heart. Listen to your body. Listen to your soul. Trust.
I hope 2023 is the year you make all your yes’s intentional, stop feeling so busy and cultivate more love and joy.
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