Doing Less is Doing More

I'm a doer, a driver, and a seeker. I like to go FAST, not slow. I enjoy intensity, chaos, startup vibes, the pressure of deadlines, and the satisfaction of reaching big goals. It's always served me well, I've always been a top performer because of it, and it's taken me far. PLUS - I enjoy it! The adrenaline feeds my hungry spirit. So why should I change it?!

For years I put "queen multitasker" on my resume, screaming from the rooftops loudly and proudly about how I could juggle dozens of projects and priorities at once.

It's still how I automatically operate, but after a decade or more of defining myself this way - I'm finally starting to realize how damaging it can be to my mental health if left unchecked.

“The untrained mind is afflicted with attention deficits and hyperactivity; it is dysfunctional.”?– Alan Wallace, PhD

It's interesting. You can go hard and fast for a long time - but eventually it always catches up with you. In recent years, I started to feel a shift in perspectives, a bit of burn out, and an uneasy sense of frustration at an inability to get 'in the zone' and quickly focus or knock out projects in a crunch like I used to.

I started diving into some helpful books:

• Becoming Supernatural + Breaking the Habits of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza
• Waking Up by Sam Harris
• The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
• Untethered Spirit by Michael Singer
• Honeymoon Effect by Bruce Lipton
• The Inner Sky by Steven Forrest
• Spiritual Astrology by Jan Spiller and Karen McCoy
• Untamed by Glennon Doyle
• You Are a BADASS at Making Money by Jen Sincero
• Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
• Presence by Amy Cuddy
• Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss.

I explored my internal state and this new shift I was feeling from all angles. Meditation with Gabby Bernstein, Deepok, FitMind, Headspace and Calm, daily breathwork sessions with Angie and Shane Saunders in The Breathing Edge, astrology, intellectual papers, even tarot cards, reiki, and shamanism.

Finally, after soaking it all in for the past 6-12 months, I understand the connection. If we constantly divide our attention into a million places, rather than focusing clearly on the present moment or task, our brains normalize a 'frenzied state'. It was big news to me when I learned that the human brain is actually incapable of focusing on two things at once. (Check out FitMind's finger switching exercise to see for yourself) I also realized that while I consider myself blessed, happy and successful, there could be more. What's good, could be GREAT. The anxiety, insomnia, monkey brain, discontent, and constant desire for new experiences and challenges that I've identified with my whole life could be transformed into ease and connection, a new internal state of balance, gratitude, connection and bliss. Do I worry that I'll lose my 'rockstar' abilities if i slow down? CONSTANTLY. It's why I resisted the "take a step back to propel yourself forward" and "slow down to go fast" ideas throughout my life. But what if that's all in my head? What if I can achieve the same results, and reframe my internal dialogue? What if i can STILL build, do, grow, create and experience everything I want to in this life, but with ease and grace rather than self-pressure, struggle, and fierce determination? I plan to test it out.

I'm embarking on a journey to come back to myself. An experiment to see if I can rewire my brain and tap into a state of internal bliss and inner wisdom that gently guides and propels me forward into alignment. We don't have to stick with our status quo, just because it's worked for us. There's always space to unlearn, grow, adopt new ideas, and reinvent ourselves as we tune into the importance of our true mental, spiritual and physical health.

Maybe 'it's just how i'm wired' isn't a good enough excuse anymore. Let's all not be afraid to slow down, take a breath, pause in the stillness, and evaluate where we are today. Are we suppressing things that bubble up? Ashamed or fearful to take a deep look at root causes and underlying patterns that no longer serve us?

If any of this resonates with you, feel free to join me on this journey of clearing up headspace and tapping into a sense of freedom, creativity, contentment and flow. My favorite tool so far has been breathwork, and I highly recommend The Breathing Edge for guided sessions with my dear friends Shane & Angie Saunders. I'll also be attending Tony Robbin's UPW event in Palm Beach, Florida this November. (Ok, Ok ... even with the intention of giving up control and slowing down, I still had to control at least 1 or 2 guaranteed outcomes and accelerator points along the way! ??) ?? Drop a line if you'll be there too!

New Motto - "Do Less to Do More"

Feel free to share similar blocks or 'a-ha' moments you've experienced in your personal or professional life, would love to hear!