To have it all

Does the term "You can have it all" sound familiar?

I can surely say with no shadow of doubt that it is for me!

In a fast world where everything changes within seconds, where we are constantly bombarded with commercials, salesmen or even friends selling something that promises to make the quality of our life better; be it the next phone, the next meal, the next product, name it! With everything at my door step, one would ask, why should I not have it all?

As millenials, we are living in the age of competition, and it's hard to keep up with the ever changing world. Brands selling on social media, products and services becoming accessible and the world a global village. It's fair to say that with the internet age, Google almost solves all questions as we can easily get the information we need at the tap of a button in the comfort of our homes, even if it means self diagnosis before seeing the doctor!

Question is, does this make us better humans?

Not long ago, the year 2019 began. As it is for most people, the new year comes with new hopes, goals, and for some resolutions. Some people bid to resolve on the things that did not work very well in the past in hope of a different outcome. Others set new goals to be achieved, be it short-term or long-term. The heart of it all is to become a better person in whatever the person values, whatever it might be.

For me, the year started strong. With my goals set and plan well laid out, what could go wrong?

It did not take long before I was unpleasantly overwhelmed. I'm I doing enough? Between work demanding for me to put it my hours, my goals on the other hand, maintaining my hours of sleep as well as my social life, drinking enough water and taking my vitamins, the balance got blur. It wasn't long before I felt as if everything was slowly becoming an obligation and like I needed to take a holiday to escape from my life.

Can someone relate?

Then I met a phenomenal woman who taught me the power of pause. In her words, to pause means to create a space where I can stop and capture everything God is doing to enable creativity.

Pause for me, meant that I do not have to have it all at once. It meant that I had to re-evaluate within myself as to why I was doing what I was doing. Had I been caught up in the rut of keeping up with all that was expected of me forgetting that I could only do so much at once?

As the famous quote by Ilyse Hogue goes, the secret of having it all is knowing you already do. I am living my life and not having to prove to anyone that I have it all. In fact, I don't. I don't have to have all my ducks in a row for me to be at peace.

The first thing that I did was set an intention. If it does not fulfill me, no matter how good it was, it had to go. This meant to let go of anything that did not bring me closer to the person I desired; be it relationships, comparisons (hello my fellow sisters), or even pressures from within or expectations from those around me. In a world filled with choice, I had to choose me.

The second thing was to evaluate how I use my time, and recognize those things that consume my precious time that are not so important or in other words not urgent. Simple things like that notification that pops us while I'm working on important things on the computer, like a friend asking to chat. Or the need to get something that's not within my budget for the time like a outfit to wear to an impromptu party (can someone relate ;)

Third and most importantly, I had to allow myself rest in the middle of my busy. Ever seen a waterfall? Everyone around sees the force and hears the mighty roar, but only when you look closely will you realize the power of stillness even in the roar of the water.

When I work from a place of rest, finding the calm in the storm, only then will I create that space that inspires creativity. Creativity will then result in productivity as I will be fully engaged in my life. Then will I realize that I have it all within me to create what I see.