Just Do It (Not): Getting Off the Exhausting Cycle of Doing More
An anti-burnout guide with simple tools for meaningful living
Do you ever feel a longing to deepen your connection to yourself, even as you navigate a full-time job and a busy home life? It’s a feeling we all know, a quiet call for rest that can be easily ignored amidst endless obligations.
It’s a feeling my client Amanda knew intimately. She was caught in the ‘faster, better’ trap, with a longing to feel more nourished, even though she believed she couldn’t possibly add one more thing to her plate.
Simple Shifts to Help You Get Off the Cycle of Doing More
When I asked about her morning routine, she revealed how so compelled to hold onto that pillow until the very last minute she felt most every morning.
I met this “pillow hugger” in the most ideal place, right where she was. “Instead of hitting snooze,” I suggested, “when the first alarm goes off, give yourself permission to stay in that relaxed state. But in that same amount of time, you can also be aware enough to feel the sensations in your body and tune in to your intuition. From that place of silence, you can set an intention for your day.” The task was simple: to transform a routine she already had into an opportunity for conscious awareness.
Amanda also had a chronic achy neck, but a regular yoga practice wasn’t realistic. I asked about a physical activity she already made time for, and she revealed her adoration and commitment to gardening. The metaphor was right there in the dirt.
“While you are there nourishing your plants,” I said, “how about you also simultaneously acknowledging space around the troubled area (ie. releasing tension in your shoulders, base of the skull and jaw)? You know how you give your plants room to thrive by giving them space in the soil? This is the same idea.” Here was another experiment that would not require more time. The task was to become receptive to feeling and sensations — the only way we get to experience versus just “do” life.
The Gift of a Walk
This gentle, simple way of approaching well-being is something I had to learn myself. Decades ago, I found myself impatient, walking a little doggie for a friend. All he wanted to do was sniff and sniff some more. All I wanted was to get to my to-do list.
But my day with the little guy became sixteen and a half years with my best friend, Yoda. And over time, his necessity became my own. As I began to turn my attention to something even more interesting than the thoughts in my mind, my organs of perception I began to experience life in more ways than I had for some time. With every step, as he sniffed the aromas of the world with his “fragrance superpowers,” I, too, began to listen to the sounds of nature and experience greater silence. In those walks, I began to hear my inner whispers more clearly.
The Invitation to a Life of Wonder
This kind of receptivity that can seamlessly integrate into any aspect of our day is precisely what got me to give more attention to the mystery of wonder. An invitation that does not require adding anything to our plate. Instead, it is about having the courage to choose a little spot in our lives that can benefit from a little nourishment and watch that unfold.
So, look at your own lifestyle — the things you already do — and find your own “pillow hugger” or “gardening” moment. What’s one simple shift you can make today to welcome more wonder?
A gentle journey toward building self-agency and guiding people from simply “doing life” to a life that makes room for simple and sweet tools for the possibility of a life of greater meaning.
If you are curious to lean more closely toward a path rooted in an intuitive and sustainable sense of well-being, I invite you to explore ‘ Seduced by Wonder’. For details on this free subscription, please see HERE.
