It's time to slow down.
Driven…Type A…Perfectionist…Need I say more? Yes, while the holiday season has the potential to bring out the very best in all of us, I must admit that it also catapults my over-scheduled life into a whole new level of list making frenzy.
I actually recognized “rock bottom” this year as I “penciled in” family cookie making with a designated start and finish time…obviously the only way to ensure more “quality” interaction!
How did I get here? When did living up to the “expected,” begin to supersede just living? Most of us begin down this road with the best of intentions. We aspire to find success by mastering what has become most valued in our world…multi-tasking, achieving, excelling, winning… reaching the top of every measuring stick put before us. Slowly, with very little warning, however, the path becomes distorted. A realization that the ultimate golden ring of perfection continues to escape our grasp renders one stuck on a never-ending cycle of trying harder, jumping higher, adding more, and, ultimately, returning to a self-imposed conclusion of “failure.”
We arrive at the obvious question. What’s next? Bigger, better, faster hasn’t been the answer. My conclusion, then, is to shift toward the slow lane. Of course, my first inclination is to write out a list of goals needed to accomplish this task. Old habits die hard! Yes, I could think about embracing imperfection, nurturing a grateful spirit, seeking bliss rather than accomplishment…and so on… Yet, we all know how those “lists” turn out in the end. So, I am opting to explore the year as it comes. Regular reflection-A definite YES! Predetermined objectives to be “mastered”-No, not this time.
Written by Lisa Kelley
