Take Time To ‘Fill ‘Er Up’

Have you ever been late for an appointment thinking there wasn’t
enough time to stop for gas, only to sputter, cough, and run out along
the way? You then spend three times as much time cursing at the side
of the road waiting for help than it would have taken to stop and
‘fill up’.

In our busy lives we operate by the myth that speed is a requirement
for success. Although it is a perspective that elicits a gasp from
hardcore overachievers, the real truth is that focus is more fruitful
than speed. Often what appears to be speed is instead a refined art of
spinning our wheels. This blind spot leaves us driven by an
ever-increasing volume of information with the expectation that we
must go faster and faster to handle it all. We mistakenly believe that
if we figure out how to do more in less time we will somehow be able
to get it all done! Honestly, is there ever really an end to the TO-DO
list?

Less than 100 years ago over a two year period of time people took in
information equivalent to what we are bombarded with each and every
day? No wonder we feel so overwhelmed! We force ourselves ahead by the
false belief that we must keep up with and digest the ever-increasing
speed of information. This mode of traveling the road of life is a
certain method of self-sabotage and doesn’t leave much time to enjoy
the scenery along the way.

Durable happiness and authentic productivity become our traveling
companions when we learn to identify our personal values, accept our
worth, embrace our strengths and nurture our own well being.

If we don’t stop to refuel our inner spirit we will get nowhere fast.
We will be no further ahead, running on empty in the fast lane, and
eventually will run out of gas still stuck in the same old rut.

Even though stress related illnesses are one of the leading causes of
death, for some of us it would take a miracle to slow our pace.
Although we often aren’t quite sure where we are going, we’re making
such good time we refuse to consider stopping.

The bad news is that we will stop one-way or another! The good news is
that miracles are time efficient. They are prompted by a shift in
perception that allows us to realize the benefits of a more conscious
pace. Durable happiness comes to us rather than is something we chase
when we dare to drive-in rather than search outward for answers.

Happiness is not something you figure out, but rather invite in. When
we take a YOU-TURN inward we are more likely to hear the wisdom and
intuition that was shut off in our hurry. When we coordinate our head
with our heart, balancing our inner values with outer demands, we
actually move forward with greater energy, clarity, productivity and
joy to everyone’s benefit.

The greatest gift we can give another is to choose to take full
accountability and responsibility for our own happiness. The miracle
of greater happiness is ours when embrace ourselves as worthy enough
to take time for ourselves. If you don’t start your journey from this
point you wind up fulfilling everyone’s dreams but your own.

The road to joy is paved by being fully who we are in everything we
do, having the courage to fully honor ourselves and by savoring the
present moment. When we clarify our own dreams and values we can more authentically be our self. When we are more genuinely our most loving self, we best serve others. When we know that we have lived well, and loved authentically we create the legacy marked by our journey.