Are you achieving the kind of success along with the quality of life you truly desire? If the answer is no, you may be addicted to busyness, a condition that’s epidemic among women.
We tend to stuff every cranny of our life with so much activity that we’ve lost touch with what’s really essential as opposed to what’s actually irrelevant.
But ask us to say no to a task, and we start to panic. As if our world would shatter if we slowed down. The truth is, we’ve lost sight of what’s honestly important and truly necessary.
I didn’t realize busyness was my drug of choice until the pandemic when my life slowed down significantly. I’m the first to admit—busyness is a bitch to give up.
Without endless activity, I was left with empty space. Empty space that gave rise to painful feelings. I felt antsy, unproductive, like a failure and a fraud. Rather than experience the pain, I tried to fill up the space.
But, as I came to see, when you face what you fear, it no longer controls you. Here’s what I did to detox from all the frenetic activity:
- I didn’t go cold turkey; it was a gradual process.
- I made it a game—every day I asked myself: what can I take off my to-do list today?
- I forced myself (at first) to allow downtime, to just stare out the window or take a leisurely walk.
- I felt the guilt, anxiety and agitation. I let them surface, experienced them fully, and journaled about them.
- When I caught myself slipping back into busyness, I took a few deep breaths and stopped immediately.
After a few weeks, I started noticing that slowing down actually speeds up the creative process. A slew of ideas and insights began to emerge. Decisions became obvious, thus easier to make. Opportunities abounded and I had the energy—and time—to grab them.
I invite you to observe all the needless activities you cram into your life—from constant emailing to extraneous chores. Maybe you’ll find what I did.
It’s only in stillness that you’ll hear the secrets your soul yearns to share. It’s only in the quiet that you’ll discover the path to becoming your best, more powerful self.
I’d love to hear what you could slowly start cutting out of your day? Leave me a comment below.
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