Yo 20-somethings, it’s Rachel on this fine Tuesday morning, with a little something I’ve been grappling with lately that I want to share with all of you.
I confess: I’m an easily stressed-out kind of person. I have a tendency to feel rushed. I’m constantly rushing to get things done, to cross items off of my to-do list, to figure out complicated aspects of running a business, or to ponder what the next evolution of my business will look like. And on top of that, there’s the non-work stuff that can still feel like work: exercise, cooking and eating healthy, and cleaning my physical (and mental) space, to name a few.
I yearn to get all of these things checked off, so I can just be done. Because then, I can breathe again.
But here’s the thing: I don’t really want to be done. A to-do list isn’t something that eventually goes away, and neither are my dreams or ideas. As soon as I check some things off, I’ve made room for new things to take root. And exercise, cooking, and eating healthy – that’s all maintenance. I can’t cross those off, because they are activities I want to do regularly.
So for me, and I’m betting for you, too, there’s a big shift needed to stop rushing/scrambling/grappling/stressing to frantically and anxiously get things done.
There’s a need for all of us to stop holding our breath, waiting for our lists to be done, and just start exhaling now.
One of my personal idols, the wonderful Danielle LaPorte, wrote (and I paraphrase): “The journey should feel the same as you want the destination to feel.”
So, how do you want to feel when the list is “done”? Personally, I want to feel relaxed, relieved, free, peaceful…with tons of creative energy and excitement. And, because Danielle is completely right, that’s exactly how I need to start feeling right now.
I’m going to start bringing those feelings into my daily life right now. What about you?
Much Love,
Rachel (& Kristen)
