If there’s a book I don’t need to read, it would be titled How to Stay Busy. I have great ideas, and I sign up for them. All at the same time…which turns out to kind of be a problem. 

If you were here when I posted my goals for this year, you probably remember that slowing down was at the top of the list. For me, this looks like decluttering, not always saying yes, learning some old-fashioned skills, and spending time with people I love. 

But, as I’ve gone through the last couple of months, I’ve learned that slowing down doesn’t necessarily mean saying no to everything extra. It just means saying no to things that I don’t love. 

I still teach violin, I still adjunct for a university, I still write for Back To Stable Hill (and have considered starting YouTube), and I still teach homeschool kids biology, along with managing a full time job. I’ve stepped away from 4-H, though. I found that I dreaded going every night, even though it was only twice a month. I could go on a whole tangent on how kids are not parented anymore, and that definitely played a large part in how I feel about volunteering with 4-H again. All my coworkers want to go to lunch? I used to be pressured into saying yes, but now I say no if I’m not 100% on board. These last couple of months, I’ve learned that slowing down can still mean you’re busy – but only with things you love. 

Now, I’m starting to adopt the mindset of if this event/task isn’t a 100% yes, then it should probably be a no. 

I still have so much to do to work towards this goal. I still need to work on decluttering (I’ve already done a lot, but it seems you can’t even tell), enjoying the small moments, and spending more time with loved ones. But, I think I’ve found a good balance. I still stay quite busy, but I’m busy doing all the things I love to do. I’m too young to be stressed over being bullied by a 9 year old 4-H kid. So, now I say no. Don’t get me wrong, volunteering is good, and I loved it when I lived in Virginia. But at this point in my life, it doesn’t seem to be for me – at least right now. 

Kind of a shorter post for today, but what are some things you could drop from your life that aren’t adding to it right now?

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