Hi, guys!
I've been thinking about time recently and how it feels like the ultimate luxury nowadays. I mean, who wouldn't want to add some extra hours to their week? We would have more time to hang out with loved ones, do the things we enjoy, learn how to do new things, or finally get everything checked off of our to-do list! Why do the years seem to go by faster as we age? Is it that we're too busy and too distracted? When we were kids those summer days lasted forever. It felt like we had to wait "forever" for Christmas day, or our birthday to arrive. I've wondered if it has anything to do with our ever-growing lists of responsibilities and our completely booked calendars.
I love this quote:
"We think we can accomplish more if we plan our time well: We can be good parents, good employees, good friends, and good partners while still managing to read books, see movies, enjoy the great outdoors, work out at the gym every now and then, and, and hmmm. Somehow we believe our lives are more worthwhile when we do as much as possible."
- Irene Smit & Astrid van der Hulst
I've grown to have a love-hate relationship with the world productive. I believe that spending time wisely is very important and that we should each make the most of our days. I also think our society is too obsessed with the idea that productivity is the key to a successful life. It's all about perspective and what fruits you actually want to produce from your labor. I need peace and I need stillness. I value those two things and making time for them in my day could be looked upon as being unproductive, but it's all about perspective. It's all about what you want to achieve.
I'm sure most of us have heard the quote:
"You have as many hours in the day as Beyonce."
(I'm not sure who said this... I couldn't find clear credit online for it!)
I feel like these words could either leave us feeling inspired or defeated and if you're like me, it probably depends on the kind of day you're having! It's true that Beyonce is human just like all of us. I mean she is queen but ya know, she's still human after all. ;p However, we aren't all striving to be musical legends are we? We aren't all destined to be celebrities and that is perfectly okay. Everyone's path and journey in life is unique. What matters is that we use the hours in our day for the things that WE value and enjoy, not what Beyonce, or anyone else does.
I often feel a sort of sensory overload. There are so many images and noises fighting for our attention and bombarding our mind. Every now and then, we need to quiet our minds and our souls. I've found meditation to be really helpful. The word meditation can be intimidating, but it can be as simple as making time in your day to pause and be. Your moment of meditation could be an app that notifies you in the middle of the day to just stop and breathe, or it could be a full mediation or yoga session. It doesn't have to be complicated, you can do something simple to calm your mind.
I constantly feel like I'm failing at the balancing act. When I give more time to one area in my life, the other areas seem to suffer. I also hate feeling like I'm drowning in plans! Even if all of the plans on their own are things that I want to do or accomplish, the feeling of being "too busy" stresses me out and increases my anxiety. Do you ever make so many plans that you're too tired to enjoy them all? Living with a chronic health condition has really changed my view of things. There are days where I have to pick and choose what needs to be done, because I can't do anything else more than that. There are other days, where I can barely mark anything off of my to-do list even the needed items. I'll often say "Currently, I don't have any more spoons for that." and I have to recharge until I feel better! If you don't know about the spoon theory for people living with chronic illness, you should check it out! I feel like all of us can relate to it on a certain level, not just those of us living with a chronic illness.
Most of our schedules don't create a lot of spare time for us. Which means there's not as much time for surprises and spontaneity. We don't have as much time to experience the day just as it is. We also don't spend as much time reflecting inwardly. That's why it's important to be present as often as we can. We can ask ourselves sometimes "Can this wait until a later date?" and if it can, we can put it away and spend that time breathing, reflecting, and just being.
Fred and I just got back this week from a vacation and it was so nice to put the work away for a few days. I was worried that taking some time away from the blog and from social media would negatively affect my work. It felt so good having days where absolutely nothing work related needed to get done. I loved not trying to capture anything "Instagram-worthy". I was just capturing the trip in my mind as it was. I was left with the real memories, not the staged ones. I think stepping away for awhile doesn't have to negatively affect our work. Since we've been home, I've felt so inspired to write again about the things that really matter to me and I have new ideas for how I want to better engage and connect with all of my readers. It was a wonderful reset.
Sometimes, we just need a little more time to breathe.
What do you think? Do you feel like you're too busy?
What helps quiet your mind?
Love,
Christina xx
{Wearing}
Boho Print Tank Top - Rosegal
Similar Burgundy Kimono - Rue 21
Silver Statement Necklace - QuiQuattro
Similar Silver + Turquoise Cuff - Charlotte Russe
Find me on:
Today, tomorrow, forever I will pray for my enemies and have peace in my heart.
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
Matthew 5:44
*I've received product from Rosgal, PPZ, and QuiQuattro. All opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the companies that support BG by Christina!
Post a Comment
thank you for being here :)
i'd love to hear from you!