Its easy to be "busy". Its easy to feel so important that the world will cave in if I personally don't hold the sky above my shoulders. Its easy to fill up a calendar. Its easy to overlook the details because too much is demanding our attention. Its easy to get distracted by mindnumbing activities (Facebook? Pinterest? TV? Anyone?) Its easy to snap at our loved ones because the world is begging for our time, our money, and our opinions. But you know what is not easy? Honestly answering why do we keep so busy? Do we have to serve on four committees to impress our peers? Do we have to keep an immaculate house just in case company stops by? Do we have to squeeze in two extra hours of work to please our bosses? Do we have to say yes to every person who calls in hopes of a favor?
The answer: No. But the reality - Usually we accept the responsibility on your shoulders with pride, determination, and pure stubbornness. And crazy thing when you carry a ton of weight on your shoulders we get tired. And what happens to people when they get tired? They tend to get cranky! So we accept these extra duties that we didn't have to accept. We then our tired and cranky for those we love because of all the extra work we're doing. And then they get cranky because they are getting less of our time, but all of our crabbiness and they too have accepted too much responsibility.
Don't get me wrong. There are favors we should grant. And cleaning should absolutely happen in a household. And there are times it would be a good idea to work those extra hours at our jobs. But not every favor and not every day. We need to evaluate how we should answer the requests. By accomplishing this task am I chasing a dream? or just my tail?
What's the difference? Chasing a dream means you are working towards goals you have for yourself. Perhaps you want to get healthier and build stronger friendships. So you join a gym and ask a good friend to work out with you. This is working towards a goal and therefore chasing a dream. Grabbing fast food for the third time in a week because you couldn't possibly find time to stop at the grocery store. You are not only avoiding your goal but moving away from your dream - but still moving in constant "busy" motion - means you are chasing your tail. You are doing a lot of "work" but not really moving towards what you want to accomplish. You're stuck in a horrible whirlwind of chasing your tail.
We can chase several dreams at once but we need to know our dreams. And once we establish what we truly desire. And I say this again - once we understand what we truly crave can we figure out the best way to make our dreams come true. Its easy to say we want more money. Well does that mean you don't have enough money to purchase goods you desire (better car, house, more trips?) Or you want to eliminate debt? Or you feel your time at work is worth more? These problems could be addressed with more money in the household but each dilemma means there is a different desire at the true root of our craving. We don't necessarily want more money - we crave freedom ( to purchase our wants on a whim), we crave peace (from the never-ending bills, stretched relationships,) or we crave recognition (for our hard work).
Life is too short! Don't waste your precious time chasing your tail in hopes to impress those that really don't matter and get busy chasing your dreams.
May your HealthFULL Journey reveal truth about what really matters to you so that you can avoid the trap of chasing your tail. 'Til we meet again . . .
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