Here's the truth: There will always be something else to do. Your to do list will never cease to grow. There will never be enough hours in the day to "get it all done".
We will never be able to spend as much time doing the things we love because of the things we think we must.
As a self proclaimed over zealous, achievement oriented workaholic, I hate this fact. And yet, accepting it to be true is slowly changing my life for the better.
Instead of focusing on always making sure it is all done, I'm focusing on the things that absolutely need to be done... and the rest of the time, I'm spending time doing the things I love and spending time with the people that I cherish. You know, the moments in life that make it worth living? Let’s turn our attention to those.
After the last year and a half of uncertainty, burn out, sickness and grief, I choose to turn my face to the sun. Not because my to do list is done, or that I’m less depressed and certainly not because I can ignore the stuff that weighs heavy on my soul.
It is simply that if I am to proclaim that I have lived my life with intention and presence, I have to experience the joy and sweetness that life has to offer as well.
I know there are thousands of reasons you can conjure that tell you that you can't join in on the fun. Some of them are practical, emotional or even logical. They’re also deafening.
But if you start to listen a bit more closely to the whispers underneath the domineering forces of practicality, I'll bet you hear your soul kindly, politely requesting a bit of freedom.
It’s always the quiet ones, the ones with gentleness and patience, that tend to be overlooked. They’re also often the ones with the best ideas.
Come let yourself bask in the Mexican sunshine, let your soul fill up with its warmth and remind yourself how sweet life can be. Or breathe deeply in the Tennessee mountains and let your soul dance to the rhythm of the birds chirping.
And if you need help, I am here for you. Don't let anything, anything, hold you back if your soul aches for connection. Reach out so I can grab your hand and help.