Motivation Monday - Constant Busyness Isn't Productivity, It's Trauma

“Feeling the need to be busy all the time is a trauma-based response and fear-based distraction from what you’d be forced to acknowledge and feel if you slowed down.” - Maxine Carter

Isn't this the truth? Unfortunately, I do speak from experience. It wasn't until I slowed down and really looked at and felt what was going on, inside and out of my body, that I realized I was in a constant state of trauma-avoidance. 

I wore that "I'm so busy" badge as one of honour, when really it was just burning me out. I thought if I slowed down, the world would end, I would never achieve my goals, my dreams, people would never like or love me, etc., etc.. So I kept working, kept "Busy" until I couldn't do it. I'd burn out, feel guilty for having to rest and recover, then get back at that busyness as soon as I could stand up, repeating the cycle of burnout.

Again and again and again.

Sound familiar? Trauma happens to everyone, whether it's the big "T" traumas (what we normally think of as PTSD), or the small "t" traumas (what we often don't realize are still trauma, and can also cause PTSD).

None of us gets out of this life unscathed. That's not to minimize trauma, quite the opposite: I want to draw attention to it in all of us so that we can heal and move forward in healthier patterns for ourselves.

So how do we start to heal and reprogram this need to be busy all of the time? Start small.

Start with noticing the breath and short mindfulness meditations. Slowly work towards longer stretches of stillness, as you’ll find in Yin and Restorative yoga.

It’ll help, you’ll see.

I'd also highly recommend talking to a therapist. Having an objective perspective will always be a huge help.

When we realize we don't have to be busy all the time, we can see we are worthy as we are. We don't have to prove anything to anyone, and we are allowed to heal at our own pace.

Sounds like a weird Motivation Monday post, eh? But here's the motivation - you don't have to prove your worth, you just have to try your best, which you are already doing. You also have to let yourself rest, heal and recover. You are worthy of that. So let yourself work, yes, to get towards your goals, but also heal, and know that it's ok to take a day or two off if you need.

If you want more mind and body work, with yoga, fitness, meditation, nutrition and so much more, why not check out the AnyTime Studio, with unlimited access to our constantly growing library, free 30-day plans, discounts on events and a community to help you?

Get a FREE 7-Day trial here: www.HealthGirl.ca/join and we'll see you in the digital studio :)

Cheers,

Meg