Was that even fun?

Was that even fun?

I was in Hawaii a few weeks ago spending time with my twin sister and her kids.  We hadn’t gotten the cousins together since last year and it was definitely time.

We ran every morning, surfed, kayak toured to a killer snorkeling spot, swam in the ocean, went to a few farmer’s markets, hiked to black sand beaches, and like 1000 other things.

One thing we didn’t do? Rest. Relax. Chill.

We crushed that trip. And we crushed ourselves in the process.

We were so busy doing. Keeping the kids entertained. Hitting all the spots. Seeing all the things. There was a lot of doing and not a lot of being.

At the end of the trip, we were sitting on the back deck taking in the sunset. It felt like the first time we’d sat down the entire time we were there. Both my sister and I had this moment of reflection. Was that even fun? I mean, I think it was fun. Do I feel fuller? Sure, in a sense. But I also feel depleted.

Most high-achievers we know do this. And we don’t just do it on vacation. We do it every. single. day. 

We say yes. We pack our schedules. We squeeze every last bit of opportunity out of life and then what? At the end of the day we’re so DONE. We’re exhausted and it’s all a blur.

Was there meaning in all that hustle?

Because here's the thing. It’s nearly impossible to stay present in the moment when you’re on a tight schedule, making sure that you get to where you’re supposed to be with the people and the things, and everyone actually has shoes on, and sunscreen and yeah, everything.

When we slow it down a bit, we get to take it all in - the sweet smell of fresh pineapple at the farmer’s market. The brilliance of the flowers growing wildly in the Target parking lot. Sounds of laughter as the kids bury each other at the beach. The smiles of strangers. That feeling of sinking toes in the sand. The pleasures of living life fully awake.

Our actions are either leading us closer to our goals and dreams, or they’re not. There's no middle ground. Time is of the essence, so we need to ensure our actions are leading us toward the results we want.

Feeling rushed? Scattered? Distracted?

Try this:

Take the driver’s seat. Be intentional and aware of how you spend your most valuable resource: your time.

Scale back your commitments today, put your phone away, and see how the experiences you do have become that much more rich (a new connection with a parent on the sideline, a thoughtful conversation with the barista, or the smell of the rain on the pavement on your way from here to there).

You’ll see, this doesn’t mean less. It actually means more. More meaning, more connection, more of that feeling of really living being alive.

We ❤️ you.

Kelle and Nina