Take back your time!
The definition of busyness: the state or condition of having a great deal to do. The opposite of busyness, according to Google, is: relaxed, lazy, calm.
For too long, I have identified with being too busy , stressed, even burnt out. My knee-jerk reaction to the question on how I was doing: ‘so busy, very stressed.’
I became what I continuously said I was. 2022 was the year I took back time. I became ‘non-busy’. Not quite at the relaxed, lazy or calm spectrum yet. I realised that I did not want my legacy to be about ‘busyness’.
How I achieved this:
- I stopped saying I am busy or stressed. I changed my identity. My motto became ‘I have time for the things/ people that are important to me.’ This of course involves more planning, but it gives me the opportunity to have time for activities, and people that fill my cup.
- I woke up to the truth that life is not going to get better. It will probably get worse. But life is now. This second, this moment. As Mary Oliver said, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your own wild and precious life?”
- There is no avoiding suffering. Learn to live with suffering.
- Blocking out emotions or ‘storing’ them for when you have time, does not work. Bessel van der Kolk said: “As long as you keep secrets and suppress information, you are fundamentally at war with yourself. The critical issue is allowing yourself to know what you know. That takes an enormous amount of courage.”
- To be alive is a huge responsibility. The impact of your words, actions, and behaviour on yourself and others is ownership on steroids. It is extreme.
- Compassion is sexy. And that is compassion for yourself as well as others.
“To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.”
I hope to remember 2022 with one of my favourite quotes:
“What day is it?” asked Pooh. “It’s today,” squeaked Piglet. “My favorite day,” said Pooh.”
