by: Kara Marell

When We Become Too Busy, PAUSE

I catch myself saying “I am too busy for ___” , when in reality I know I am not. I am ‘too busy’ because I am making a choice, and prioritizing other things. You’re only as busy as you allow yourself to feel. It’s about allowing for the pause.

Recently, I’ve  found myself saying the excuse of “I am too busy to write!”, even though writing is something I LOVE and it always provides me with clarity and insight. It’s true that I have a lot of interest and a lot going on: a full-time job, multiple yoga classes during the week and weekend, a relationship I love, friendships to nourish, time with family, making art, my own yoga and meditation practice, etc.  But the concept of busyness is a choice. Its how you to choose to prioritize your time, and it reflects your values.

In our culture of competition and chaos, being ‘busy’ is the norm. Our lives are fast-paced scenes moving from one act to the next in rapid succession, barely allowing time to process the present before moving on to the next.  It is as if our society has collectively forgotten how to exhale.

I often hear people say they don’t have time for things that are hobbies or interests. Instead, they often choose to fill their time with unfufiling work, and fantasize over magically creating more hours in their day to accommodate these interests. We only have one life to live, people!!! If you want to try something – try it! If you want to make more time in your life for making art – do it! If you want to practice making music- make time for it! The idea of busyness is a cop out- we are in charge of our own life and our own schedule. Start by taking 5 minutes a day for an activity you love, or want to experience more of in your life. You’ll shortly find, that giving yourself those 5 minutes is not only simple, but incredibly beneficial!

Allow for the busyness of your life to pause. Allow for the stillness, and exhale. Just be. Just breathe. Take moments to assess where you are at, and in those moments, those pauses find gratitude and humility.