I wasn’t exactly feeling joyful this morning. Here is some of what I wrote, “Joy is not exactly what I feel in this moment. I feel rushed. Why did I take on this thirty-one day challenge? It isn’t like I don’t have enough to do! How will I fit this in today? There are other work and home projects to attend to!”
When we put too much in our day, whether it is work or personal projects, we can feel rushed. Literally a person can feel pressure from inside to just keep on moving as fast as they can and still it may not seem fast enough. And with all that who can notice the joy?
Slowing down may help.
Breathing may help.
Changing expectations may help.
One of my favorite play practices is walking in all kinds of ways and it can be very helpful when rushed to walk as slowly as possible – like a turtle or a snail.
If I’m really feeling rushed, walking slowly can actually feel painful, because almost every part of me wants to move fast. Walking slowly gives pause, it invites in the space.
If joy was hand squeezed orange juice, then I couldn’t buy it in a grocery store, I’d have to make it myself. And so it is with joy. If we squeeze in so much that we are rushed on a regular basis – where’s the joy? There’s no time to notice it. And no one can change that but me – I have to do it myself.
As Stephen Covey pointed out in his work, we can be response-able. I can re-prioritize. I can slow down.
Have you squeezed in a little joy today?
– Mary
