Happy October 1st. What happened to September? I almost feel like the month didn't even happen it went by so quickly. However, I do think that I actually took time to enjoy it more. And sometimes being happy makes time fly by so much faster don't you think?
I've been reading some really inspring posts lately. I never feel as if I'm all that inspiring or insightful. I either think too much or not enough. I haven't decided yet. One thing that has really stuck for me from September was the Slow Down Challenge.
I'm really trying to keep this challenge in mind and not let it have been just a passing phase. When I am reminded of slowing down, enjoying the moments, not rushing through life, it also reminds me of the whole notion of glorification of "busy."
You see it, the brags on Facebook about how, "I'm just sooooo busy I don't even have time to eat." "I'm sooo busy I can't workout...visit friends...cook dinner...etc." Why do we feel that's something to brag about? I want to brag that I had a great run, that I accomplished things AND that I enjoyed. Simply enjoyed. That I'm happy right here, right now. Even more? That I'm rested and not rushed and worn down.
It doesn't mean that I never finish laundry or household chores, that I don't get my butt out of bed at 5am for a run. I don't ditch anything that I don't want to do just to do everything I would prefer to do. As Jeff Goins points out in a recent post, The First Step to Making a Difference: Get Out of Bed, "Certainly, rest is important, but there is a difference between slowing down and stalling. Don’t mistake the need to take life slowly with a procrastination habit."
And perhaps that's something to keep in mind, it's not procrastination when you take time to make the things that make you happy a priority. Stop being so busy that you can't visit with a friend, send an email to say, "hi" or enjoy spending an un-rushed dinner with your spouse.
The ever-insightful Carla (aka MizFit) recently wrote an amazing pose: You're not a priority right now. This was a real slap in the face, a much-needed slap mind you. I've felt I was doing so good with slowing down, savoring, enjoying, living. But, I wasn't aware of priorities.
Carla writes (and you must go read her full post please):
So, when you say, "I'm too busy to workout" replace that with "Working out is not a priority right now." Now the slap? "I'm too busy to visit you" becomes "You're not a priority right now." Ouch.
I might say I'm busy, but I certainly find time for my running, weight lifting, cycling. Now, sometimes I say I can't do something and it's not that I'm saying I'm busy, it's that I just don't want to do that thing - like go to Target. Target isn't always a priority but staying home and reading on the patio might be. But staying home and reading rather than going and getting my errands done sounds lazy right? Hence that idea of glorifying busy.
People say, nice job on getting ALL of that done. They never say, nice job on just enjoying and relishing in your free time. But maybe we should start saying that to each other. Hey you, awesome job taking time for yourself, for spending time with your family, your friends ...
What is your priority and do you glorify the idea of "busy?"
I've been reading some really inspring posts lately. I never feel as if I'm all that inspiring or insightful. I either think too much or not enough. I haven't decided yet. One thing that has really stuck for me from September was the Slow Down Challenge.
I'm really trying to keep this challenge in mind and not let it have been just a passing phase. When I am reminded of slowing down, enjoying the moments, not rushing through life, it also reminds me of the whole notion of glorification of "busy."
You see it, the brags on Facebook about how, "I'm just sooooo busy I don't even have time to eat." "I'm sooo busy I can't workout...visit friends...cook dinner...etc." Why do we feel that's something to brag about? I want to brag that I had a great run, that I accomplished things AND that I enjoyed. Simply enjoyed. That I'm happy right here, right now. Even more? That I'm rested and not rushed and worn down.
It doesn't mean that I never finish laundry or household chores, that I don't get my butt out of bed at 5am for a run. I don't ditch anything that I don't want to do just to do everything I would prefer to do. As Jeff Goins points out in a recent post, The First Step to Making a Difference: Get Out of Bed, "Certainly, rest is important, but there is a difference between slowing down and stalling. Don’t mistake the need to take life slowly with a procrastination habit."
And perhaps that's something to keep in mind, it's not procrastination when you take time to make the things that make you happy a priority. Stop being so busy that you can't visit with a friend, send an email to say, "hi" or enjoy spending an un-rushed dinner with your spouse.
The ever-insightful Carla (aka MizFit) recently wrote an amazing pose: You're not a priority right now. This was a real slap in the face, a much-needed slap mind you. I've felt I was doing so good with slowing down, savoring, enjoying, living. But, I wasn't aware of priorities.
Carla writes (and you must go read her full post please):
The change occurred when I chose to no longer to say the phrase:
Im too busy
And instead replace it with:
It’s not a priority right now
So, when you say, "I'm too busy to workout" replace that with "Working out is not a priority right now." Now the slap? "I'm too busy to visit you" becomes "You're not a priority right now." Ouch.
I might say I'm busy, but I certainly find time for my running, weight lifting, cycling. Now, sometimes I say I can't do something and it's not that I'm saying I'm busy, it's that I just don't want to do that thing - like go to Target. Target isn't always a priority but staying home and reading on the patio might be. But staying home and reading rather than going and getting my errands done sounds lazy right? Hence that idea of glorifying busy.
People say, nice job on getting ALL of that done. They never say, nice job on just enjoying and relishing in your free time. But maybe we should start saying that to each other. Hey you, awesome job taking time for yourself, for spending time with your family, your friends ...
What is your priority and do you glorify the idea of "busy?"
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