This week in The Embodied Woman Facebook Group we were having a good old look at procrastination. Getting busy writing yet another to-do list, staying distracted ‘organizing’ the day/month/millennium, and then diverting our attention a little more…
Using all our time/energy/money to focus everywhere BUT the ONE place that we truly want to place our attention.
For me, I’ve been procrastinating writing the content the group program – which I’ve been talking about for months. And from the (beautiful and vulnerable) stories shared in our group it’s clear that the women around me are collectively putting their desire, goals + dreams on the backburners as well…
The truth is, that it’s easy to procrastinate. It’s easy to tell yourself…
- I don’t have the clarity yet.
- The right path hasn’t quite become clear.
- It’s not time yet – or its equivalent- I don’t have the time yet.
I know because these are things I tell myself regularly all the time.
But does that make them the truth?
Does telling myself these stories move me closer to the direction of my dreams?
Does living in this cycle feel like clarity?
Does choosing to be this way feel like the ‘right path’.
The answer, of course is, NO.
Because there is no liberation in procrastination.
Almost all procrastination is based in fear. A small percent is based in laziness, but mostly even the laziness is laziness-based-in-fear.
Procrastination is a sign that says: I’m not doing anything because I am afraid.
I am afraid that if I try, I will fail.
I’m afraid that if I do it, it won’t be good enough.
I’m afraid that it’s not possible for me.
I’m afraid.
Procrastination punishes us in so many ways. It takes our worth, our confidence, and our clarity. But most of all staying stuck in fear (aka. procrastination) costs us in the three most important ways: TIME, ENERGY and MONEY.
Procrastination will divert hours of your time away from your dreams.
Procrastination will deplete your energy and leave you exhausted.
Procrastination will not land you more dollars in your bank account.
But while it’s a drain in soooo many ways. Procrastination is also safe.
It’s a ‘known’ way of operating. And although it’s not getting you where you want to go. Procrastination can feel kind of ‘easy’.
Yet some deep part of you is awake and longing for change. Some timeless part of you doesn’t want to settle anymore. That’s why you are reading this post.
Moving out of procrastination is also going to cost you time, energy and money. Because it’s going to stretch you in new ways. Ways that you are afraid of being stretched in.
You will be asked to invest the TIME to acknowledge the pattern, and see it for what it truly is – FEAR.
You will be asked to invest the ENERGY in being with the fears as they arise – to treat them with love + kindness so we can liberate them (instead of staying stuck in cycles of hiding them/pushing them into the dark corners of our heart only to find that they magically reappear in a heartbeat)
You will be asked to invest the MONEY. Money is the ultimate representation of commitment – to ourselves, to our dreams, to the things that we want (that we keep procrastinating on). And while I am not a fan of throwing money at all of your problems to make them go away, I am interested in women putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to their dreams.
Because unless you are willing to invest in your dreams, they’ll remain just that – dreams.
The truth of your life is reflected in the action that you take. It’s reflected in the way that you are actually living. And if you the goddess of procrastination is who you devote your days to, then she is your current truth.
For myself – unhappily procrastinating away with not-creating-anything for my group program – I had to sit down and invest these three things.
I had to invest the TIME, to sit down with myself and recognize this pattern of behaviour (looking at the calendar was a serious reality-check as well!).
I had to invest the ENERGY discovering what was fueling this pattern of behaviour. (Surprise, surprise I was avoiding doing this work because I was afraid.)
The story went: If I start, I have to create something that is amazing, transformation, inspirational + will have a long and fruitful life. And I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if it’s enough… *cue aching heart*)
And while all this was happening I was also investing the MONEY. Putting my money where my mouth is and hiring some team to support my business while I entered deeper creation mode (I tell you – that level of commitment to my vision took a big stretch!)
Ultimately you + I are powerful + magnetic women, if we permit ourselves to shine.
And our procrastination is a gift – acting as a giant sign post showing us that there is healing + growth possible in this exact direction…
But it’s up to us to invest, to invest in ourselves + to invest in our dreams. Because no one else can do the work for us.
So beauty now I’m keen to hear from you. Are you procrastinating? And if you are – what one decision are your resisting making right now? Leave me a comment below.
