Little side note before today’s post: I hope that everything written in this post is clearly written and articulated. I found myself inspired to write on this topic yesterday afternoon and I bounced back and forth between writing bits and then play time, then writing, then feeding, then writing, then down for nap, then writing then… you get the picture.
Previously, I’ve usually given time for what I’ve written to sit for a bit so I have time to read it over once or twice to edit it, but I simply haven’t had the time. I thought perhaps it’s appropriate to not bother editing so much and just allow the writing to just flow out like an uninterrupted stream of consciousness without so much internal judgement and critique. So we shall all see how this goes…
Lately, in both my personal and professional life, I’ve been hearing a lot of people express concerns about burn out. Many are feeling overworked. Many are feeling really, really exhausted. Many feel like they’re doing a lot and it just isn’t working for them anymore. Many are feeling a greater need to make changes so they can find time to rest and recharge because what they’ve been doing just isn’t working anymore.
Admittedly, I’ve been feeling it too. It’s tough living in this country (and possibly also this world, collectively) right now. Modern life requires us to “do” a lot and, despite all the technological advances that we have, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of efficiency in accomplishing basic day to day things that would make life easier. Despite all of our technological advances, we don’t have very many technological systems in place that provide the support that would allow us to live with greater ease.
Though there are many systemic issues definitely contributing to all this burnout, I do also feel that there’s some ideas that we have around the concepts of value and worth that are also contributing to this pattern of burn out.
Sometimes we get so caught up in this idea that we need to give more, do more, provide more, produce more, get more, buy more, consume more… and that giving or having more quantity of something is going to create greater value and worth.
We can fall into this thought pattern of believing by doing these things, it will make us as human beings more valuable and worthy…but it doesn’t.
Because the reality is that we have nothing to prove. We are all inherently valuable and worthy already.
The reality is that just because we’re doing more, producing more, consuming more, trying more, and/or getting more, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s greater value. Reading 10 books doesn’t necessarily equal the same value as reading one really, really good book that we really resonate with and impacts us. Watching 10 movies doesn’t necessarily equal the same value as watching one really, really good movie. Sure, it’s good to have a variety of choices. However, when the creation process is focused more on producing more on the amount produced in a limited amount of time rather than slowing down so people can create something with an expression of greater depth, complexity and nuance that can give a spark of inspiration for creative expression or a deeper understanding of our lives and who we all are as human beings for all who consume it to see… that is far, far more valuable.
Doing more to get more isn’t necessarily going to produce a greater satisfaction in life. Doing more to get more isn’t necessarily going to create a life with greater ease. Doing more to get more is not necessarily going to generate a greater amount of happiness and joy.
But slowing down is. Pausing is. Resting is. Connecting to ourselves us. Connecting to others is. Connecting to our environment is. Connecting to nature is. Connecting to the present moment is.
When we slow down and we slow down our bodies and nervous systems, we allow what makes us innately human to emerge. The creativity. The curiosity. The wonder. The complexity. The depth. The heart. The soul.
And we are never going to get there if we keep running in hopes to achieve something that is only going to leave us all empty.
Things I’ve found nourishing this week:
Chamomile tea
Mornings out in the sunshine
Spring flowers
This powerful article by Joshua Hill titled Who Deserves to Live? — it can be a tough read, but it’s quite poignant.
Fresh air.
Time with friends.
And, of course, this share from Cheryl Strayed on Mother’s Day.