LEAVE THE DUSTBUNNIES . . . GATHER CONNECTIONS THIS WEEK

WELCOME to the 4 Week Beat Busyness Challenge!  I am so happy you are here.  If you are here is must mean you want something different.  You want off the hamster wheel you may have found yourself on.  I am looking forward to seeing how far we can go in the next four weeks to recapture our time, our energy and mainly ourselves!I want you to go all in here.  I want you to look at each new week as a new opportunity to take back your time and re-establish what is valuable to you.  In order to really go all in and make these changes you have to be honest with yourself and do TWO things right off the bat.  If you keep these TWO THINGS in mind during this month as you complete each weekly action you will find yourself embracing each week and this new unbusy lifestyle.What are these two things?1. Realize that busy is a choice. Being busy is a decision we all make.  Filling up our calendars and daytimes with endless lists is a decision.  I used to take such pride in all the “to do”s on my list and even more pride in the marking them off.  If something fell off my calendar for the day, I promptly replaced it with another busy activity.  Another errand.  Another project.  This was not forced on me and I bet it is not forced upon you.  Therefore, the most important thing you can do is realize that you are in charge of your schedule.2. Realize there is No glorification in being busy.   Somehow it has gotten to be a badge of honor to be busy.  If we engage in a conversation we find ourselves trying to “outbusy” each other.  When did this come to be?  And to what end?  Being busy brings on no rewards.  In fact, all that being busy often limits us from being able to pursue our true gifts, talents and potential.Now, let's dive into Week One!I remember when my boys were small and seemed to always be underfoot.  All I seemed to ever want was a clean house and a bit of peace.  I would aim to get down on the floor and play after the dishes were put away, then the load of laundry, then after I made that call or paid that bill.  This is hard for me to admit but I had an internal struggle to sit and engage fully because my head would be thinking about the dust bunny in the corner that needed my attention.My mother used to call me and her first sentence would always be, "I know you are busy. . . ".  Oftentimes I was up to my elbows in "stuff" and felt, at the time, too busy for a real conversation.  I often told her I would call her back.  Sometimes I did and, unfortunately, sometimes I got "busy" and forgot.  Thankfully, as I got a little older I did get better at letting go and making time for that connection with her.  Long gone are the days of sitting on the floor with my boys.Long gone are the days of sitting on the floor with my boys.  And since my mom is no longer here I wish every day that my phone would ring and I would hear her say, "I know you are busy . . . "  But guess what still remains?  Those dustbunnies are still lingering in the corners! Week One Activity:Each day forego ONE chore (or even more!) and exchange it for a real connection.  It can be a phone call, a conversation with a neighbor, a friend, the cashier at the grocery store or a hand-written note to someone. I promise that chore will still be there and likely no one will notice if it does not get done.  And if they do, does it really matter?Remember to leave a comment on the weekly blog post, on my Instagram or FB Page of how you are unbusying with our weekly activity.  Tag me on Instagram and include the hashtag#BeatBusyness#Week1Enjoy Your Unbusy Week!