Recently, I signed up for The Abundant Mama’s #BanBusyChallenge.
It has been a good reminder for me to reaffirm what I know to be true — deliberate, intentional, and slow living allow us to savor and enjoy life instead of rushing through it. As the Abundant Mama reminds us, we are often obsessed with “busyness” because we are afraid of failing. We want to prove ourselves over and over again by filling our time with more, more, more.
When we slow down someone might see us as lazy, we might have to face our own imperfections, and we feel that we might miss something. Ironically, we miss out on life’s sweet moments by becoming overly busy. And also, we are our own worst critics – no one else is judging us as harshly as we judge ourselves for what we are or are not doing.
With a move on the horizon, a 7 month old, chores to be completed, and a small business to run with big dreams for the future, I can easily get caught up in the realm of busy.
And then I feel anxious. And I go to bed with spinning thoughts. And I feel worn out.
But then just as easily, I can choose to spend my days in a different way and I actually end up being more creative, feeling more fulfilled, and remembering the joy of being alive.
I do this by puttering around the neighborhood with the baby on my back.
I do this by shutting down my computer after an hour of work and taking my tea outside to gaze at the stars.
I do this by lying in the grass and watching the clouds.
I Savor Slow.
Banning Busy does not mean that we are unproductive, lazy, and lethargic.
Banning Busy means that we focus on tasks with intention, we are present for our families, and we take time to be still.
In the end, we are more productive, creative, and have far more to offer the world around us.
We must continuously recommit to living this way because it is (currently) in direct opposition to the flow of mainstream culture which encourages constant growth, fast movement, and pursuing more regardless of the cost (to our health, our families, and the environment).
As greater numbers of us adopt this more feminine, intentional, and balanced way of living, I hope it spreads throughout our culture at large — we’re going to need this push to savor slow as we re-learn what it is to live sustainably on this Earth.
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These Light Footsteps 
Well said…I agree with everything you wrote! I am trying to slow down, too. Some days I do well…and other days… 😦 I just start again each morning.
Thank you for this reminder Christine! I am definitely culpable of sometimes going through the day in a series of “what’s next” until I drop of exhaustion at the end of the day. There is always going to be something else to do, but we must be mindful that while we are doing we can slow down and even sometimes stop to appreciate how far we have come and what we have already done, take a moment to lie down in the grass and look up at the clouds in the sky, notice the interesting critters around us, appreciate the breeze or the sound of the red winged blackbird’s call, keep a fun song in our heart.