Where I go, there I am. If I haven’t don’t the internal work to really transition myself, whatever problems I have in one place or setting I take with me to another. I experienced exactly that this week. It is my son’s spring break form college, and we are in New Mexico with some friends working on the rental house and skiing and working and hiking and running and visiting. They are all good things! Here is what Wednesday looked like. Woke at 6:00 and did my morning journaling and mediation. From 7 to 8:40 I was in a video advisory board meeting for a friend’s start up. Then breakfast and off to the ski mountain. Home at 3:30 and went for an 8 mile run with fast intervals. Then I cooked and ate dinner and then hiked with friends to an outdoor hot spring. It was amazing to hike down into the Rio Grande gorge by moonlight and watch the amazing stars after the moon set. We even did a couple of cold plunges in the river and short meditation and prayers. What a great experience. And I got home and to sleep around 12:30 AM. What a good day! Or was it? When I woke up the next morning, my body battery according to my Garmin watch was only 37/100. This was my old me, doing way too much, but justifying it because all the things were good. But too much of a good thing is still too much.
The next day I had planned to work on the house and ski a full day and write and do a strength training, but I was tired! And this is where the new me kicked in. I listened to my body and took a long nap, only skied for an hour, read for fun soaking in the hot tub and steaming in the sauna, and spent great time with my son watching TV and working a little on the house. I didn’t even do my strength workout as my body needed rest. Today I woke with 77 body battery, feeling joyful, creative, and ready for a great day, that is not over-scheduled. Today I am reminding myself there is nothing I have to do and nowhere I have to go. I love this transitioned-self much better than my old one that was so driven and always with FOMO.
Where are you doing too much and justifying it by it being good? Is it obsessing over work? Is it taking the kids on a Disney vacation that you go 18 hours a day? Is it doing a hobby or service to the extreme? Is it all the above all at once? Recognize that too much of a good thing is still too much. Stay in touch with your body and your emotions and know that everything is better when you are rested and have space to enjoy each step.
Have some fun this weekend, and not too much!
Best regards,
Art
#overdoing #burnout #enjoyment #toomuch #rest #toomuchofagoodthing
