“The earth laughs in flowers.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

For several years, I have been in an ongoing, iterative process of getting my mind and my body to work well together. For quite a while in my life, I operated under the “do more, faster, sooner, better, and do as much as possible NOW.” The potent elixir of adrenalin, ambition, and anxiety brought on by both my temperament/wiring as well as the external validation I received from the broader culture in which I was operating coursed through my veins, and I would push myself.

“Do more now”, went the story, “and you’ll have to do less later.” Or

“Do more now, and you’ll be safer later, because you’ll have taken care of everything.”

Only that “Later” never seemed to materialize, because—as it turned out—I was addicted to the rush of being busy and stressed.

I have finally begun to listen to my body when it comes to my schedule. If I’m about to add something to my calendar, and I get a stomachache, I at least slow down and give myself some time and space to determine why my body is reacting the way that it is. Some things that give me a stomachache (like tax preparation) are necessary (Happy April!), but at least I can acknowledge the stress and support my nervous system in moving through that process as gently as possible. Other times, I have found myself cluttering my time up with activities and commitments that I have a vague sense that I should do, but really, when it actually comes down to it, they are not all that important to me.

Increasingly, I am choosing to fill my time only with what has heart and meaning for me. So yes, I will complete my 2020 taxes…but then I’ll have a dance party! (Probably alone in my apartment because of COVID, but I know how to tear up the dance floor, so it will be amazing.)

Try This:

Review your calendar, perhaps on a Sunday evening or Monday morning. As you scan through your days, notice if you have any reaction registering in your body

Do you suddenly feel tired? Nauseous?

Do you suddenly have a headache?

Are there any scheduled activities that you see there that you feel really excited about?

If there are items that give you a stomachache or feel heavy: are they truly necessary? Is there any wiggle room there for renegotiation?

If there aren’t any activities that feel enlivening to your spirit, add some! It doesn’t have to be complicated or even that time consuming. In fact, simple is often better.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Quiet time outside with your phone on Airplane Mode;
• Watching a light-hearted movie with loved ones;
• Going for an unstructured walk in a favorite neighborhood;
• Trying out some new art supplies that you bought but have yet to use…