Good morning friend,
Yesterday I spent most of the day working in the garden.
By dinner time, my body felt tired.
I'd hauled bags of mulch, dug holes in hard soil, planted shrubs, watered plants, and spent hours moving from one project to the next.
It was a full day of physical work and yet though my body was ready for a rest, I noticed that while I felt tired, it was "tired in a good way".
Not the kind of tired that comes from rushing through a packed schedule.
Or the kind where I overdid it and woke up feeling cranky and depleted.
Instead, it was a satisfying kind of tired.The kind that comes from spending your energy on something that feels meaningful.
I slept well.
I woke up refreshed.
And today, I'm actually looking forward to planting the rest of the clearance shrubs I brought home over the weekend.
All this had me reflecting on the difference between being busy and being engaged.
For much of my working life, I was busy. Too busy.
There were deadlines to meet, responsibilities to juggle, meetings to attend, and an endless list of things demanding my attention.
Much of this was important. Some was even enjoyable.
Yet, I'm realizing that busy and engaged are not the same thing.
Busy often feels like life is pulling you along.
When you are engaged, you are fully participating. Present.
Busy scatters your attention.
Engagement focuses it.
Busy leaves you wondering what you accomplished, as the day just disappeared.
Engagement leaves you feeling connected to what you were doing.
Even more interesting is that you can be busy yet still feel restless, bored, or dissatisfied.
I believe that's because fulfillment comes more easily when you are deeply engaged in something.
Not necessarily something productive or profitable.
Just something that captures your attention.
These days, for me that's been creating a woodland garden on my back hillside.
It could be any number of things–hiking, quilting, volunteering, painting, cooking, learning a language, caring for grandchildren, or tackling a project you've always wanted to try.
The activity itself matters less than the feeling it creates.
The feeling of being fully present.
Of losing track of time.
Of using your energy in a way that leaves you pleasantly tired rather than emotionally drained.
You may want to consider the question:
What activities leave me feeling engaged rather than merely occupied?
I'm learning the goal isn't to fill our days.
Maybe the goal should be filling the days with activities that make you feel alive.
Wishing you a beautiful day,
Julie
I spend my time in a way that makes me feel alive.
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