Recently I advertised I was starting a Blog. Then I had to repost Coming Soon, maybe 2 more times. Well I’m not tech savvy, or tech patient and I needed expert help. Then things changed with our public health restrictions and I was able to go back to work (dance and yoga instructor). So…I got “to busy” to buckle down and publish a blog post. Another consideration was What do I post? I had maybe 10 essays written, but now none seemed good enough, especially for the very first “Welcome” post. Like most people, I hate talking about myself so I knew a “Getting to Know Me” post wouldn’t make the cut. Besides, I like to think once you’re around me or in this case read a blog or 2, my personality becomes clear and surely will come across in my Blog…..surely…right?
Coincidently or divine intervention around the time the blog publisher was ready I scrolled social media and saw a meme “stop glorifying busy” and thought ok…ok it’s time. This is something I say often and felt like it was the universe’s nod to write about it! So, BUSY. Why are we drawn to or I dare say obsessed with being busy. Consider “Busy” as a mantra – well, what you think, you become? So are we really that busy or have we convinced ourselves we are or should be? Sadly, I feel many people barely recognize their busy states – like its auto pilot or default. Their lifestyle appears to be chronically busy. Let’s pause, we cant skim over the universally accepted answer to anything we don’t want to do “oh sorry I’m busy”. We’re all guilty and lets just cut people some slack. Like it or not we do have busy times and responsibilities, and we owe no one any explanations why we choose not to take them up on offers.
Recently I’ve been paying close attention to my language, and observing the impact it has on all of us. Something I started doing is making Spiral Graphs ( I don’t know the correct term). Anything that’s on my mind that feels stuck or a point of interest, I write a word defining the situation/idea in the center of a page. Then I encircle that word with words that pop to mind associated with it. Including the good, bad, indirect, direct, facts, false claims …you get the point. Here’s a sample of the words I spiraled for BUSY (or lack of busy) guilt, lazy, shameful, self centered, competitive, desperate, and many more! Some seem more significant if you’re not busy, I don’t think we can overlook there’s a “reward” system for busy and not for un-busy?? I suppose I hear people use Busy often but feel not busy myself – at times I have more things to do than other times (getting ready for work). A Ha! see that’s my attempt at new language, I didn’t use the word busy. I mean great your day is scheduled to the hour, you accomplish 5 things before noon, love telling everyone your play by play of productivity (we all know these people). But, let’s not forget “Busy doesn’t equate Important, and lack of Busy doesn’t equate lack of Importance”.
I’m surrendering into a new lifestyle after fighting it for 2 years (another blog). I’m ok with what I do with my days – most days, Busy still raises it’s head. Someone close to me that I can volley jabs at I often say “maybe you’re not that busy, maybe you’re not that good at what you’re doing”. Sometimes it gets an odd reaction but the intention is to insert comic relief into what arears to be a heavy moment, sometimes it works.
What about we promote and reward Non Busy??? Glorify being efficient , or able to delegate workloads, know when to call it a day, or simply say no that’s not for me. We, me included, grumble on lazy days….”oh I’m bored, I’ve accomplished nothing today”. Notice those days your body feels tired and the days you run around busy you have the energy to maintain it. How about un-busy days don’t make you feel lazy what you’re actually experiencing is rest and relaxation. Maybe, its so foreign to us we don’t get it, we assume somethings is wrong – I’m supposed to be doing something. I’m guessing lots of us have said “ok tomorrow I’m back to normal”.
In my work (yoga instructor) I see Busy right away. Busy often creates lack of satisfaction. Attendees only want invigorating or challenging classes. Commonly I hear, “I could never do yoga it’s to slow, to boring”, “I couldn’t sit still that long”, “I need upbeat and to feel exhausted at the end of a class”. Yikes!!! My 2 cents….they need yoga, meditation or mindfulness the most! Is it me or does Busy look and sound stressful, and stress is the leading cause of illness – moment of food for thought. I wont start on our Central Nervous System -lets keep this post moderately light. If we don’t learn to slow down and become less busy our bodies will do it for us, starts out maybe chipping at your mental health, then maybe your immune system and maybe will force a hard reboot (for you Cynthia lol). If you can see my point take hold now and start small, add some simple mindfulness moments throughout your day. Its gonna be hard first but you deserve it. Set a timer for 10 minutes repeat daily. Attempt a mindful break – take 10 minutes to drink a glass of water, just that nothing else, walk to your back yard, stretch your body, I mean its endless and keep it simple – but don’t scroll (not even reading my cheeky blog). Over time, hopefully, it will become your thing to do and I can almost bet if fully accepted you’re going to want to add more minute to the timer.
The other day I came across a Reel on Instagram and I was really, really taken back because that narrative I’ve never heard before and a light bulb turned on! I’ll attempt to paraphrase “I don’t want to be a girl boss, I don’t want to hustle, I simply want to live my life slowly, reading books, creating art, and loving myself and the people in my life”. It stopped my in my tracks, I saved it and often listen to it. It was so real and poetic and obvious, like that’s what we’re meant to do! It also gave Permission to live un-busy which is the opposite of what we’re trained to do!!!! Genius!!!! So, read that quote again and own it. Live as you please – complete 10 jobs or not, cook a great meal or buy food, read a book or be totally rebellious and take a nap – I know… baby steps, I said it earlier I’ll say it again “you deserve it’, you are the maker of your life. ✌
Busy doesn’t equate important, and lack of busy doesn’t equate lack of importance.