If there’s one skill I’m good at, it’s staying busy.
It’s a valuable skill because you can get shit done, and you can be productive. You can dig into the projects, get caught up on the email box, clean the house, fold the laundry, and clean up after others. I can go on and on. But here’s the thing:
When we keep ourselves busy, we hold ourselves back from our lives.
We’re not in the present moment; we are lost in thought and making plans for the future. Today was one of those days that I had very little on my to-do list. I had spaciousness in my day with only three things I had to get done.
But I saw that my mind wanted to stay on the hamster wheel called busy. Many of us are so accustomed to being busy that, quite frankly, it feels uncomfortable when we’re not. I was almost swirling with what to do. There’s always something to do, but must it be done right now or at all?
For example, I took a lunch break and ran with some friends with plenty of time because I didn’t have any meetings to rush back to right away. I noticed myself wanting to stop at the store to pick up dishwasher pellets because we were low.
Really....Do I have to do that NOW?
The truth?
No
I wanted to create a to-do, a task to stay busy, but in reality, we have dishwasher pellets. I don’t need them right this moment. So, as I was pulling into the left lane to go to the grocery store, I noticed my thoughts. I paused, swerved my car to the right, and drove home. A stop at the grocery store didn’t need to become urgent, and I could find time over the weekend to do that task unhurriedly.
I don't always catch myself. It was an unusually warm winter day earlier this week, so I cleaned the chicken coop. This time I was knee-deep in dust and chicken poop when I realized I had fallen “asleep” and got busy.
The point is that if we catch ourselves more often, return to the present moment, and let go of our busy mindset, we can be in our lives and truly be more productive with what matters most.
I want you to make a promise to yourself, as I’ve done, to create a life of more spacious, loving freedom while still thriving. When writing your morning to-do list, look at it and ask yourself, does this all have to be done right now?
I want to hear the answer from you ~ be honest with yourself.
This year, I am looking deeply at who I am and what I long for in 2024. I desire to be more present and more loving internally (to myself) and externally for all the people I love, appreciate, and have gratitude for. I desire to serve as powerfully as possible and be the best I can be in every moment.
What do you desire? I would love to hear.