Creativity= taking “rest steps.”

Last week, when I wrote about dancing to your own rhythm, it’s amazing how many folks I heard from who told me how difficult it is to slow down and allow themselves to relax. It’s no wonder, really.  Our society trains us to accomplish (or atleast want to accomplish) everything this very moment, and that to be successful, we must maintain a fast pace that results in high blood pressure and coffee stains.  I confess…  I’ve been known to have my finger stuck on the fast-forward button myself on occasion, wanting to catch a glimpse of the end result before I even begin something, wanting to get the hard work over and done with so that I could rest in that glorious feeling of completion when I was finished.   But in doing so, eventually the sense of overwhelm would propel me right smack onto the couch, tuning out, feeling lazy and defeated…  and ironically, the journey wound up  taking even longer!   Funny thing is, during those times, if someone had asked me, “What’s the rush?” I’m not sure I would’ve known how to answer…  

What’s the rush?  

Back when I was in college, I went on a month-long backpacking trip in the canyons of Arizona, traversing through varying altitudes and terrain that seemed to have emerged out of myths and fairy-tales.   It was a challenging adventure, the kind that invites you to question why the heck you would sign on for such a thing and causes you to dread whatever lofty incline might be waiting for you around the next bend in the trail.  You see, I wasn’t what you would call an avid backpacker, and the changes in elevation knocked the wind out of me quite a few times, (even more so than the late night havalina visits or a close call with a rattlesnake), so there were times when I had a hard time keeping up with the pros.  Until, that is, one of my instructors taught me the “rest step.”  

The “rest step” involves synchronizing the breath with each step so that with your inhale, you step forward, and with your exhale, you rock your weight back onto your back leg giving the active muscles of your leading leg a rest.  The steeper the slope, the deeper the breath and the longer the pause.  I remember it being quite awkward at first…  in a way, I felt like I was doing a strange little waltz…  but the relief that came from exhaling all of the air out of my lungs and allowing the fire in my legs to ease soon began to outweigh any embarrassment I felt, and before I knew it, I was able to release the struggle and enjoy the scenery around me at a steady pace  without worrying about what was around the corner.   

We’re all on an adventure, and that adventure is called life.  We all climb mountains every day, whether it’s the piles of clutter sitting on our desks, the mounds of work to do that just might get us to a place where we can eventually rest when all is said and done, or the expectations we place on ourselves in order to be “successful” or “worthy” or “perfect.”  But does it really all ever get finished?   The fact is, most of the time, once one list is checked off, another one has already begun!  This is the reason that I often remind my clients (and remind myself) to take rest steps in between each and every step forward, whether they’ve just made a giant milestone or managed the tiniest of baby-steps… 

Take a moment now to breathe in to your efforts, even if they’re just a taste of what you hope to achieve.  Breathe out as you reconnect with yourself and celebrate the moment.  Break down your huge projects into small, attainable tasks, and after each task on your list, give yourself up to 3-5 minutes of “chair time” to bask in the glory of completion and tune in to your greater intention. 

Most importantly, remind yourself that success has nothing to do with how much time you spend on something or how much you allow it to consume you…  it has everything to do with how much of your authentic self is infused into what you’re hoping to accomplish.  Allow the light that you are to permeate everything you do, even the little steps that might seem to get you nowhere.  You might notice that you don’t need to push so much, simply because you’re moving forward in alignment with the deeper aspects of who you are.  And remember that the closer you become to the peak of your mountain, the higher the elevation will be…  and the longer your rest steps might need to be in order to catch your breath!

Afterall, what’s the rush?

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