This week sees the end of Lent. Anticipation builds as we look towards the celebration of Easter this weekend. For some, that might mean the prospect of a long weekend, family celebrations, ending a fast, feasting on chocolate. For others, it is the acknowledgement of the life-and-history-altering events of the first Easter. Whatever your focus this week, as Lent comes to an end, so too do my musings on the idea of giving up busyness for Lent.
Several habits have been proposed, and I wonder of all of these, which would be the most life-sustaining going on beyond Easter?
Or to put it another way:
What one thing stands out that if you were to continue doing it, would make the biggest difference?
Perhaps it is choosing to live busy but grateful – a perspective shift of seeing what we get to do in each moment and being grateful for it, rather than always rushing on to the next thing. Choosing to see the rich fullness of our life and celebrating all the opportunities we enjoy. Lifting our eyes above and beyond ourselves to see where our lives fit within the bigger picture of the world around us can be a marvelous and humbling way to hoick us out of our negative grumbling.
Suddenly that which we are stuck on lessens when we compare ourselves with those who have nothing.
Or perhaps, to put the big rocks in the jar first.
Work out what is most important to you in life and prioritise those things first. This can be on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly basis. But I do encourage a regular stopping and reflecting on how you are living, and to what extent your stated priorities are actually your lived-out ones.
What if you continued practicing being present and not distracted?
How do you measure a successful day or week? By how much you have achieved and ticked off your list? Or by the person you have been that day? Have others perceived you as present to them, kind, engaged with them? Or distracted, frazzled, preoccupied with what you perceive that you need to get done? Practice being present to those with whom you are in conversation. If you had 6 months to live, would you really prioritise the task over the relationship? Choosing to live knowing each moment matters because you cannot live it again.
Choosing to stop multitasking and do only one thing at a time.
Give that task your full attention, in a mindful sort of way. Sounds a bit Winnie the Pooh but is that so bad? Winnie the Pooh would describe TODAY as his favourite day. And he was a great believer in enjoying the little things in life.
Someone else very wise observed the futility of being preoccupied with tomorrow’s worries – tomorrow will worry about itself. None of us can add a single hour to our lives by worrying or being distracted by what we need to do. That wise person happened to be Jesus, and seeing as this is Easter week, seems fitting to quote Him (Matthew 6 if you want the full stop-you-in-your-tracks impact of His wisdom).
Do you need to be needed? Or believe you are indispensable?
Perhaps what has stood out is the need to do some internal searching and rearranging as you recognise WHY you need to be busy – you recognise that you need to be needed, and some work on your identity and self-worth are required. Perhaps too it is coming to the realisation that you are not indispensable. It is OK – shock horror – to say NO.
The Lent busyness fast has highlighted your own needs.
Or simply at the end of Lent this year, what has resonated most is acknowledging that you too have needs – and that is OK. It is not just necessary but essential for you to have time for you, to recharge, to do nothing, to restore your soul in whatever way is most appropriate for you so you are fueled to life the life you have.
So I encourage you to take a little time this long weekend (if you have time off – or pick another time that works better for you) and think through what change would make the biggest difference.
Write it down, plan it in, stick to it.
And many blessings on you this Easter – at the end of Lent, may you know fullness of life, gratitude for all you have and who you are, and the joy of being full present to that life.