It was not until recently, and when one of my mentors pointed it out, that it was blatantly obvious that I committed to too many things at once.
I want to do it all. Be everywhere. But I have learned, what that does is not only stretch myself thin to a point of exhaustion, but it also decreases the quality of my work. For years, I have watched my mother do it all. I thought that was the way everyone approached challenges and took on a day. But not all of us are super human, in face, I am most certainly not. This past fall semester is a great example of me trying way too hard to do too much. I was taking double the amount of credits that any undergraduate student should take, I was assisting in two research projects, I was trying to found a club, on the executive board of two other clubs, and I was working two jobs. Who does that? It's kind of weird writing about myself, seeing as I am relatively new to this whole personal blogging thing, but when I re-read the above paragraph I laugh a sort of exasperated laugh and roll my eyes. It's just typical me. You can imagine me trying to get from one place to another. Trying not to be late. Re-applying my deodorant in the bathroom because I had to run to my next meeting. When we do that to ourselves, I think we sacrifice more than we think. By doing more, we are giving up freedoms that we would typically take for granted. The best example I can give is during this fall of running everywhere, I didn't get the chance to dress well or do my makeup accordingly. I know that sounds kind of stupid, but it is something I enjoy doing at the beginning of each day. I am definitely a firm believer in looking the part, and even over dressing if that is what is necessary to look nice. For me, having my hair done, nails done, makeup complete, and clothes presentable is a key institution in my day-to-day life. When I was running everywhere I did not have that luxury and I had to surrender that part of my individuality. Appropriately timed, my mentor (the same one mentioned before) was giving me a mid-semester review. He said, "Allyson, you would be so great if you stopped stretching yourself so thin." I thought about that, and I agreed. I finished out the semester but vowed to never do anything like that ever again. This morning I was reading this article on Medium about improving habits to make yourself more productive. Letting go of extraneous commitments was one of the strategies. I smiled as I read the article because I know the author is right. It is a relieving feeling when you vanquish commitments, projects, or ideas that no longer carry any weight in your continued journey to fulfill larger goals. There is more time for things that matter, people that matter, and strategy that matters. There are those who can do it all, like my mother, but for those of us that cannot, it is not settling. It's making us more thoughtful, more focused, and more likely to achieve our greater goals. And I like the sound of that.
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Author: Allyson DitizioGeographer, yogi and occasionally creative writer. Archives
September 2016
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