The Need to be Productive

My life moves pretty fast. It has for a long time, and I’ve come to prefer it that way. As an 18 year old girl, I was working full time during the day, taking college classes at night, and teaching aerobics in whatever pockets of time I had left. It was a crazy time, but it was also deeply rewarding. I found my independence during this time, I paid my way through college, and really, I haven’t slowed down since. 

It wasn’t long before I was creating a family,  getting married and having four kids in a relatively short amount of time. Being a stay at home mom was and always will be one of my greatest blessings, but anyone who’s done it knows, it also has its challenges. It was at this time in my life that the direct selling industry became my saving grace. It gave me an identity beyond “mom” and it got me out of the house. It also gave me an avenue to impact our finances, creating an extra income for my family. That was huge for me!

As I’ve continued to evolve in my career, I’ve kept carrying the work ethic of my 18 year old self. “The more I can get done today, the better set up I am for tomorrow. To be comfortable and happy in a few years, I’ll work my butt off right now.” This attitude works and it will get you results. But at some point, it doesn’t make sense anymore. I’ve been working to build my ideal future for YEARS. And in fact, I’ve built my “ideal future” several times, only staying there long enough to make my next goal and re-imagine my new ideal. If I never let myself slow down and enjoy what I’ve built, then what was the point in dreaming it up and building it?

This is not a lesson I wanted to learn. I’d have been happy moving at the same pace for the rest of my life. But my body has spoken loudly to make sure I don’t miss the point, I can’t keep pushing myself like I’m 18. I can’t live in a perpetual state of striving, and I don’t need to. Me, the health coach, has had my world rocked by health issues recently. And I know it’s because of how hard I push myself. 

The fact of the matter is this…My worth is not determined by how much I can get done in a day. Your worth is not determined by how much you can get done in a day. We are worthy based on the simple truth that we are alive. God doesn’t make mistakes, so your life in itself proves your worth. 

But if you’re like me and you need to “do something” to feel good about yourself, let’s look at it like this. There are extremely hard working and successful people in the world who will step on anyone who gets in their way. They get a lot done in a day, but does that make them a good person? On the other hand, there are people with terminal illnesses, people like Morrie Schwartz, who change the world as their ability to “do things” diminishes. From the outside looking in, it would seem that Morrie wasn’t doing much from the bed he was constricted to, but he was very busy doing things with his heart and the love it held. 

I need to be active in order to feel fulfilled, I know that about myself. I’m in love with the process of building, growing, and succeeding. It is not my nature to be stagnant, and I don’t think I could be happy without having something to strive for. But it’s high time to slow down enough to enjoy the process, enjoy the journey, and to let my heart guide my momentum rather than my head. It’s time to channel my inner Morrie and base my level of productivity on how well I can love. This includes love for myself, making sure I fill my own tank before trying to serve others. This includes love for others, making sure I am supporting and encouraging those around me. This includes love for all the little blessings in my life: my herb garden, my flowers, my yoga practice, and so many more. 

You deserve to enjoy what you have in your life. You deserve periods of massive growth and expansion. The two are not mutually exclusive, and I am learning this one right along with you.