Letting go of the tendency to overextend

Stretching Ourselves Too Thin

April 17, 2017

It is a common human tendency to overextend ourselves - to stretch ourselves too thin.

It can be a way of life for some people and for others just a habit that reoccurs over time or in specific situations. I have been thinking a lot about this tendency recently. For the first time in my life, I am very aware of when I am doing this (or tempted to) and have been working on allowing myself to step back and let go the desire to overextend.

HOW IT SHOWS UP

There are many ways we do this. Some examples in life where we over extend ourselves can be with work, social engagements, general time commitments, staying busy, exercise and dieting, etc. We don’t allow ourselves to slow down, to rest, or to care for ourselves. The act of overextension is draining and unsustainable. We may think we are invincible and we can “rest later,” but the truth is, it takes a toll on our health and our wellbeing, if not immediately, then definitely in the long run.

Stillness

December 15, 2015

I have been working to incorporate more stillness in my life. I have always appreciated the idea of stillness but I have hit up against a lot of internal resistance in the past when it comes to actually being still. But, now more than ever, my body has been telling me that I need to rest and be still. And I am listening. But change is hard. I have been so used to being in constant motion over the past 10+ years that it is hard to figure out how to slow down.