I’ve never been known to sit still for too long. I was always very actively involved with activities in school and sports growing up. I enjoyed it. It was a time for me to socialize with my friends and a time for me to bring out my competitive side. I truly believe that being part of different teams and groups growing up has planned a huge part in shaping the person I am as a whole.
A word I used to throw around a lot is the word: Busy. Busy is a word we ALL like to throw around. And I think the word “busy” has somewhat become a badge of honor. Why does it feel like we have all become too “busy”?
I actively try not to use the word busy because to me it’s a negative word. For me, the activities I am involved in do take up my time, however, those groups, events, etc on my calendar are all things that I want to do. That I personally write down in my calendar to dedicate time to.
Rather than them being things that keep me “busy” they are things that are a priority to me. They are commitments that fill me with joy, that keep me inspired, that make me feel full. They may keep me “busy” in terms of what the definition of busy is, but it’s not in a negative way. I’ve learned over the years to only say “yes” to things that I truly feel good about. That truly make me light up. In the past I used to say “yes” to almost anything and that often left me feeling regret and resentment. And during that period, busy to me was being used in a negative way. I was busy making everyone else happy than really deciding whether or not it was making me feel happy.
To be completely honest, sometimes I feel like my involvement in so many things makes people feel intimidated about asking me to do things. That they have assumptions that I’m already too “busy” and won’t make time for them. That would be the furthest from the truth. I absolutely cherish time spent with family and close friends and hope that isn’t the case. I hope that me seeming “busy” doesn’t deter people from wanting to approach me about doing something. I can’t always guarantee a “yes” but if I am invested in something or someone, I absolutely will make the time.
It all comes down to priorities. Prioritizing can be difficult, but it can be done. It can be done in a way not to overwhelm yourself but still be able to do the things that create only good in your life. By doing so you get to follow your dreams and your passions in a positive manner.
Not everyone is going to understand your passions or why you do what you do. And truthfully, it doesn’t matter. The only person it should matter to is you!
So anyone who is reading this, think about why you are using the word “busy” the next time you notice yourself uttering the phrase. Are you busy doing something you want to be doing or do you feel overwhelmed because you’ve said “yes” to too many things that you’re not 100% invested in? If what you are doing in life isn’t bringing you joy, then it shouldn’t be something that keeps you “busy”.