If our society had a soundtrack, it would be the song “Every Day I’m Hustlin.”
It is just me or does it feel like busyness has got an iron grip on the everyday life of everyone you know?
Without fail, most days most of my conversations result in someone mentioning “I’m so busy”, “Life is just really busy right now.”, “This week has been CRAZY busy.”..
More often than not, I become so busy with being worried about the world busy, that I can’t grapple with my own busyness.
Bueller? Is anyone relating here?
Y’all. This cycle has got to stop. Or we have got to surrender to slowing things down. I’ve been around long enough to gather that when one or more of us are experiencing the same feeling – it IS the reality.
It is no coincidence that we all feel this way. The natural world can’t even keep up with how busy we are. The human race has simply picked up the pace and we are TIRED. Tired of trying to keep up. Worn down from working multiple jobs. Exhausted from the extracurriculars.. You GET it. And if you don’t – Please reach out to me privately to tell me where your underground bunker is.
The GOOD NEWS is that there is hope. There is hope in the hurry. There is a secret to slowing things down and it just so happens to be FREE!
The secret is simple. Although simple doesn’t always come naturally when we’ve all become masters in the art of juggling multiple things. “Why would I simplify when I can be efficient?” “What good is it to slow down when I’m always feeling behind?”
Rest assured, your hurry will hurt you.
“But Makenna, how do I stop when I’ve got no breaks?”
I’m SO glad you asked.
The steps are simple and can be implemented in seconds IF you are willing to surrender to the process.
- Slow down
- Separate
- Savor the moment
Hear me out. These 3 steps may make no sense and that’s ok. If you feel that way, you can stop reading now and go back to what you were doing. You simply aren’t ready to slow down, and one day you will be. So refer back to this article when you are ready.
For those of you sticking with me, let’s dive in.
- Slow Down
- As I mentioned before – living in a constant state of hurry can hurt us. Physically, mentally, or emotionally. Hurry can deteriorate who we are because no one is designed to move constantly.
- Slowing down can be as easy as turning your run into a walk. Biking somewhere instead of driving. Writing a letter instead of an email.
- Slowing down is simply taking the scenic route to the way you normally would go about things. It can be day to day, or seasonally.
- Separate
- Separation in this case is a benefit. It’s the idea that we take what we are so absorbed in, may it be our phones, our jobs, our plans, you name it – and we simply separate ourselves for a period of time.
- Being that I am a single mom, with multiple jobs, and lots of people to please – This is one of the harder steps for me personally. However, when I am able to intentionally step away from any one of these things, I am able to REST and REGROUP. This makes me more energized and better than before.
- Society has tricked us into thinking that we must be connected to all things, at all times. Staying in a constant state of connection or busy actually separates us from our natural human design and the simple beauty in our surroundings.
- Savor the moment
- In reviewing the first two steps, you’ve probably realized that this simple process isn’t as simple as it sounds. Which is why step 3 is my favorite. Once you’ve been able to actually slow down and separate yourself from the busy – Savoring is actually the easiest part.
- This is where you soak in the stillness, feel relaxed, or have a chance to admire the slower pace of things. This is where you feel the sun on your face, smell the flowers, or wonder where the time has gone. It’s the opportunity to absorb how sweet life can be, how beautiful your surroundings are, or how thankful you are to be here.
- Savoring can be as simple as letting the chocolate melt in your mouth vs. eating it quickly. It can be a stop along your walk where you watch the sun fully set. Savoring can be choosing to have a conversation vs. playing music on the way to work or school.
Take it from someone who has always been a hard worker, goal setter, and go-getter. Hurry can be harmful. Busy can bust our butts. And I simply think we were created to have a “less is more” kind of life. We were made for breaking bread, making memories, and soaking up the goodness of God. When we let busy be the center of our lives, life becomes way less fun.
As we get into the fall season and full swing of school, sports, and all holiday festivities – I encourage you to refer back to these simple steps. Make an effort to protect your life from being overly busy, and see how good life can be when we actively try to simplify things.
You can do this.
Local Pulse Staff Writer and Everyday Hustler, Makenna Curtis
