The Hustle Is Canceled
The hustle is canceled.
This is not only my mantra of the year but how I choose to fully embody my life - today, tomorrow, and moving forward.
This past year has been one of the biggest exhales of my life, a transformational year to say the least. I no longer measure success by some “idea” of what I used to think success had to look like. I no longer do things that rob me of my joy or feel like they are sucking my soul simply because I believe it will “get me somewhere,” or lead to something else, or live up to some false ideal standard I learned to (and then chose to) set for myself.
The culture in which we live of “busy overachievers” seems to “require” a hustle, as does the entrepreneurial world. It’s as if we are doing something wrong if we’re not hustling. The idea that the only way to achieve success is by overloading our plates, overwhelming our minds, and taxing our bodies is neither sustainable nor healthy and - well - false.
As one does, I learned this the hard way. The hustle was going to end me if I didn’t make a change. And to be very honest and transparent, it took me a handful of different messages to finally learn how to apply it to my life and live it every day. Through much trial, tribulation, adversity, and challenge, I have discovered that life is SO much better this way. Yes, I have a full life and am often quite busy! But there is always space, always room on my plate for what life is presenting at that moment, should I choose it.
My time and energy are valuable, and my health is everything. My work in the world is incredibly meaningful to me, and I am here to educate and guide others so that we all feel and live better.
I want a life full of meaning. I only choose work (and anything else) that is full of purpose, connection, and joy. I want to live in the moment, fully embodied and fully present. Therefore, I have canceled the hustle.
No more pushing and hurrying to think I have to get somewhere to be seen, heard, and loved. No more putting off what I really need in order to do what “I’m supposed to.” I force nothing. I put my whole body and spirit into everything, with my eyes wide open and my heart centered.
I have restored my joy, my energy, my passions, and my purpose, and I have continued to learn and practice my own lesson that I teach, which is: “When you LET GO of your idea of what your life has to look like, YOUR WORLD GETS SO MUCH BIGGER.” Of course, I have goals, but I am committed to the process as opposed to the outcome. I will say that again:
I AM COMMITTED TO THE PROCESS AS OPPOSED TO THE OUTCOME.
Do I still have dips? Of course. Do I still ebb and flow? Of course. This is the human experience and after all, the journey is the destination. And so I encourage you to find presence and meaning in every moment of your journey. Don’t let the “hustle” rob you of your joy. Don’t let it force you into a way of working that keeps you from living every moment of your life with presence and meaning. Instead, follow the calls that speak to your soul and EXHALE.
The hustle is canceled.