Are you a tortoise or a hare?
I am definitely a hare: I rush out of the starting blocks at full tilt, only to run out of steam not very far along the way.
Just this week in the steaming hot Drakensberg I went hare-ing up a track at top speed and then had to stop and rest in the shade while the tortoise in my life was able to continue up to the top of the mountain, enjoy the view and then make his leisurely way down.
Whether it is hiking up a mountain, driving to the shops, or launching a new project, my approach is generally to set off swiftly – and unfortunately not very sustainably.
Sometimes I rush out of sheer joy and excitement. Sometimes, I rush into something I’m not so excited about in the hope that I will get the discomfort over with as quickly as possible. And often, I rush because I am trying to fit too many things into not enough time. The more I have on my plate, the more stressed I become about doing everything, and the more I hare around mindlessly and exhaustingly.
Whatever the reason for my rushing, the outcome is often less than optimal.
While I was sitting in the shade, recovering my equilibrium and enjoying the magnificent view, I decided to try to be more like a tortoise and less like a hare.
I am going to make a concerted effort to slow down, be more mindful and do what I recommend to all of my clients – which is to spend my energy wisely. I am guarding against doing too much too soon and will try to pace myself by taking the year one considered, solid, sustainable step at a time.
I am aiming to slow down and enjoy not only the journey but also the view.
The pesky virus is still lurking around, and I am reminded – again – of our scientists telling us at the start of this ordeal that it is not a race or even a marathon that we were looking at, but rather a march. And marches are managed by putting one foot in front of the other.
Slowly and steadily, let’s win the race this year.
I’d love to hear how you plan to manage the march in 2022.
Judy x
