Effort and Ease
Sustainability is one of my core guiding principles. It is a way of measuring every part of my life to assess where I am in balance and where I am loosing steadiness. I am aware that the current cultural emphasis is on productivity at any cost. This suggests that our entire identity, meaning and purpose are defined by our output. Gratefully, our meaning and identity exist regardless of our productivity, as long as we stay connected to our authentic self and our spiritual path. This paradigm is often missing the gift of moving from a clear and grounded place, to have informed focus. Energy is a precious resource, on the planet and within our own bodies, and when we deplete ourselves we are less efficient in anything we do.
Our bodies require rest, a balance between effort and ease, strategic downtime. The nervous system moves between parasympathetic and sympathetic throughout the day, based on the signals our bodies receive. Ideally, anytime we go into a sympathetic state, or fight, flight, freeze, we would come out relatively quickly and return to normal. Unfortunately, for many people, this is not the case. The pressures people are dealing with, and the lack of daily self-imposed relaxation and recover are creating a myriad of consequences ranging from fatigue, to weight management issues to hormone imbalance and blood sugar instability. Each time, our nervous system is activated, it triggers a full body response. Cortisol is secreted, digestion slows down, the gut bacteria respond, the immune system is affected, blood sugar increases and the adrenals are working overtime. Without adequate decompression, our bodies can move into a state of imbalance between extremes.
Consider thinking of sustainability in your pursuit of your goals. This applies to work hours, diet and eating, fitness, spending and even relationships. If you take a few minutes with each of these areas of your life, and ask yourself if how you are participating now is sustainable, meaning you could continue it for the foreseeable future with no consequence, what would your answers be? Is there balance or a need for adjustment?
As I have applied this practice to my life, it grounds me, centers me and keeps my focus where my hands are, in the moment. It has helped me to adjust how I allocate my time, so that at the end of my day I am not frazzled and anxious. I also include a gratitude practice in the morning and simple breathing and yoga at night before bed. I find that in slowing down and bringing more mindfulness to my day, I end up with more time, more ease and less effort and worry.
Our greatest achievements often take time, and to have the endurance to make the journey, we have to rest and practice self-care along the way. Keep moving forward, and find sustainability on the way. After all, slow and steady wins the race.