“It is not enough if you are busy. The question is, ‘What are you busy about?’” -Henry David Thoreau
Everyone I know these days is really “busy.” I would bet that nine times out of ten if you ask someone “how are you?” the response will be “busy.” “I am well, thank you” or “doing great” have been replaced!
A great deal of our lives, and our precious time and energy, is spent being busy. But to what end? In my experience, not only is being busy not an enjoyable experience, but it usually doesn’t produce good results, which brings me to the two main problems with leading the “busy” life. First, it’s not fun. When I am busy I am usually stressed and anxious. I am certainly not grounded and connected and I find that my frenetic energy usually keeps me from being fully engaged in the moment. By not being fully present in the moment, I can’t enjoy the quality of my experiences and the connection to my family, work, or whatever situation or human is in front of me. For me this is not a fulfilling or peaceful way to live.
