“When you rest, you catch your breath and it holds you up, like water wings…” — Anne Lamott
It seems like the world has completely bought into the myth of the “Hustle and Grind” version of success culture. It is what we see being promoted everywhere. And we have bought the entire story: hook, line, and sinker. The idea that is promoted is that If you are not hustling and grinding all time, you are not being successful or will never be able to become successful. Essentially, sleep when you are dead.
Where did we as human beings stop believing in seeking balance and harmony in our lives, which we have been living for thousands of years, and have known to be the path to greater success, thriving, and deeper satisfaction?
Hustle and Grind, going 24/7, seven days a week, 365 days a year is certainly not a sustainable system, and in the long run of our lives, leads to decreased health, wealth, and total burnout.
Story of Ariana Huffington, Co-Founder of the Huffington Post, and Founder of Thrive Global.
Ariana was a true believer of the Hustle and Grind culture, working 16-17 hours a day leaving no time for rest and recovery, until one day while she was working, she just dropped unconscious, hit her head against her desk, and broke her jaw.
This led to her having an epiphany about the lie of the hustle-and-grind culture, that she believed all her life. She sought to make a change in her own life and the lives of others like her. She founded Thrive Global, an organization whose stated mission is to end the stress and burnout epidemic and work towards helping people and organizations lead more balanced lives with a focus on rest, recovery, and most importantly, sleep.
Often, most people look to making a change in their lives, only when they reach a crisis in their lives, just like Ariana, and have an epiphany. However, we don’t need to wait to hit rock bottom to make a change. We can start making small changes today, from joy and inspiration to a clearer vision of a more beautiful future for our own lives, that includes a balance of deep work and contribution and time for play, recreation, rest, and recovery in our lives.
When we seek that balance in our lives, we shift from a state of constant movement and pressure to ease and greater flow, greater energy, and satisfaction in our whole lives.
With small daily changes to create time for rest, recovery, creativity, and balance, we can help to change the narrative of the “Hustle and Grind” mindset to an “Ease and Flow” rhythm now and for future generations.
A good question to ask is “If you gave yourself a chance to rest and recover, what would that look like and feel like for you?”
Here’s to all of you,
Shine On, and wishing you the best to inspire and help others shine brighter as well!
Remember, Shine starts with small, and if sustained daily, becomes significant over time.
From Shine Vision Life.
Our daily mission is to help you on your own Shine Life Journey to be inspired, learn, grow, get better and shine a little brighter, not just in our own lives, but in our families and the world around us, in small, simple, and easy ways.
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