Make this your summer of SLOWING DOWN
Usually our hurry comes as a response to other’s needs and expectations – work, traffic, appointments, kids. Then we internalize that urgency and project it outward back on others - the morning routine rush to get everyone out the door, honking horns as soon as the light turns green – you know the feeling. Ick.
With most of my clients, we work on clearing their calendars of the dreaded, the tedious, the frustrating, the not-my-work tasks. It feels great. It feels uncomfortable but right-aligned…
And then the push back comes. Mostly from others, and also from ourselves because we all get so ingrained in the system of urgency. We worry that if you slow down something bad will happen. Or we’ll get so relaxed (read: lazy) that something will get forgotten or not done and it will ruin things. None of that is true.
Slowing down is a mindset shift out of overing, toxic productivity, and unworthiness.
What does slowing down mean?
And why do we keep going until we get interrupted with illness, breakdowns, burnout, depression – ours or those we love or both?
The need/desire to slow down comes up often lately (and this time of year in general). Many of the folks attending my workshops lately sharing something like this during their intros:
“I’m worn out from the pandemics.”
“I’m on the academic treadmill and I’m so fucking tired.”
“I'm always just treading water.”
“I don’t have 110% energy anymore.”
Before or when exhaustion, overing, and burnout take you out, you can learn to interrupt your routines and calm your nervous system. You have to shift out of hustle and go-go-go by shifting toward self-respect and dignity with a mindset that believes in your inherent value and worthiness, no matter your capacity.
In a great walking conversation last week with my friend Emily (also my photographer), we talked about simplifying and slowing down in a world of chaos. As we’re both recovering from higher ed, we’ve had versions of these conversations for years. I would talk about all the things I could hold and juggle before the pandemic, before I had to take FMLA. I talked about it like I had this magical abundance capacity then.
Emily, in all her wisdom, pointed out, “This is your actual capacity. Right now. Before? That was you well over-capacity thinking it was normal.” Ooooafffff. Her words stopped me in my tracks.
What a mindset shift!
What if the capacity that you remember having was actually you just blowing by your actual capacity time and time again until you burned out?
How would that change how you’re recharging your three batteries, how you’re restoring yourself?
I’m not here to get you out of burnout so that you can get back to overing and overwhelm. I’m here to help us learn together how to slow the fuck down in an unnatural, toxic capitalistic world that wants to exploit your energy, your time, your passions, your life.
SO.
How your next 90 days or summer goes is your choice. Tell me…
What will you miss out on this summer if you say ‘yes’ to overworking?
With your current summer plans, are you spending your time and energy on the things that matter to you most?
Then write yourself a permission slip to slow down this summer and sign-up for next week’s workshop. Have a prior commitment? You can still sign-up and watch the replay and complete the included workbook afterwards.
