Running from stillness

“Take a break.”

“I’m concerned about how many hours you’re working”

“Try to enjoy the slower pace.”

“Be patient. You’ve got a long career ahead of you.”

These are the types of messages I received from the managers I worked with early in my career as a consultant.

My default response to my team members’ comments about my ambition and lack of work-life balance was to say “I love working”. At that stage of my life, I genuinely would rather have been working than doing anything else.

What I eventually learned was that I didn’t actually love working.

I just REALLY hated slowing down.

For years, I kept busy to avoid the uncomfortable thoughts and feelings that emerged when I had the space to think and feel.

In those years, I was running away from stillness, rather than running towards a vision for a meaningful life and career.

Being in a perpetual state of striving and busyness allowed me to avoid acknowledging some of my deeper needs and emotions.

My tendencies toward busyness and striving served me well for many years. They were a necessary part of my development. And then I reached a point where they stopped serving me and I knew something needed to change.

Shifting from busy to spacious has been a gradual process. It’s involved changing my circumstances, and it’s also taken me a ton of inner work.

It’s been a journey and it’s an ongoing practice.

And it’s been worth it. The shift has allowed me to experience much deeper fulfilment and connection in my life and work.

It’s also made me a more effective and compassionate leader.

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For many, slowing down requires more than changing your circumstances. It requires a gradual shift in one’s inner landscape. Stillness can be quite uncomfortable for someone who’s accustomed to being in perpetual motion. Embracing it requires adaptation.

“Stillness can be quite uncomfortable for someone who’s accustomed to being in perpetual motion.”

If you’re finding it challenging to slow down, I see you.

And if the time feels right for you to explore your relationship with busyness, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d be honoured to offer support or refer you to other helpful resources.