It's ok to slow down

As fall looms, I must admit nothing on my summer to-do list got done

I didn't finish my book manuscript or touch the heap of video files that need to be edited for podcast episodes. I didn't do much blogging or live streaming. 

The last two months haven't looked anything like I thought they would. I had some mystery health issues that turned out to be autoimmune, and then the initial treatment left me feeling moody, exhausted, and needing a break. We've also had my beautiful grandmother, a significant driver of faith and spirituality in my life, receiving hospice care. 

I've always said that mental and physical health are deeply connected. Life continues to make this evident to me, and I am so grateful for my wonderful wife, family, and the village of unique humans I call friends.

I'm also very humbled. I'm type-A, ambitious, and mission-driven, but mid-life continues to teach me to pace myself. I recently heard Dr. John Delany drop this mega truth bomb on his podcast.

"If busyness is your drug, stopping feels like torture"

I had great expectations for July and August, and while life threw me some curve balls, I did spend a lot of time with the people who care about me the most, and I had some time to turn off my phone, hang out in the woods a little, burn some logs and chill. 

The latest reports on slumping mental health in America state that one of the highest contributing factors is "a persistent feeling of uncertainty about the future."

While anxiety seems to be the plague of the times, and "future tripping" is a household term, I think it's important to note that codependency, struggling to focus, and the urge to be hyperproductive aren't moral failings. Through no fault of our own, some of us develop the characteristics of achievers, caretakers, and servants. These traits can be hardwired into the brain, and the new digital infrastructure we work and live on has changed the game in a way we won't understand for several years.

Recently, a close friend and expert in technology told me that the pandemic, by necessity, gave us ten years of progress in virtual connectivity in less than two.

In saying all this, I must stress the importance of human connection in a world filled with AI super oracles and 24/7 online access to highly stimulating content. We must protect ourselves from the trojan horse embedded in the messaging we receive. Buying more, doing more, and having more do not lead to long-term fulfillment. Love and emotional intimacy do.  

For those who want to raise emotionally healthy children, the future will be less about constant connectivity and more about priorities. 

It will be about choosing experiences and people over possessions. It will be about putting down roots and building lasting relationships versus attending every event or jumping at every promotion.

My wife and I are both health professionals by trade. Chronic illness usually has a cluster of lifestyle factors. Stress destroys the human body. Sleep and exercise are indispensable. The data is in. It's not even up for argument at this point. 

Take a walk with a loved one today. Stretch on your back porch or call your mom. Cook simple meals and break bread together. Talk to your neighbors. 

Without health and human connection, there is no such thing as wealth, so embrace minimalism.

Work less. 

Stress less. 

That's my mantra.

Are you craving more calm in your life?

Join my community today and get an instant download of my free resource, Who Are You? How to overcome burnout and unleash the power of your core values! 

In this tiny ebook, I tell my burnout story and talk about how I recovered from a mid-life funk to create a life more aligned with my purpose, so my wife and I could begin to live a simpler life and raise our kids with sanity.