I don’t actually have a lot of problems with competition. I have the occasional twinge of jealousy, but I immediately channel it into a note, an encouraging comment on Facebook, or a text.
What gets me is comparison and not measuring up. I’m not as good as that person. That effort wasn’t as good as the last one.
In trying to constantly be better I beat myself up by studying, correcting, working. Like many things in life, there’s some truth or good in self-improvement.
Let’s leave behind the heavy weight of comparison, competition and exhaustion. Shauna Niequist
It’s the internal damage we cause to ourselves when we cross over from healthy development to unhealthy striving that makes our souls sick.
All our lives are messy—admit it. My mess might not be your mess, but we all have one. That’s called real life. That’s called being human.
When we retreat, to reflect and re-craft our lives, we are moving from exhaustion to peace, from isolation to connection, from hustling and multitasking to sacred presence. Shauna Niequist
I’ve taken the time to stop the last couple of weeks. I’ve just been at a writer’s conference and now I’m on the Gold Coast on retreat with a few fellow writers. We’re in a friend’s home, we’re talking, drinking tea, we’re just being us. No competition. No hustling. Just being present with each other.
I process from the inside out and that’s why I write. Writing fills my soul, but at the same time, it can drain me.
So I’m stopping all writing, except what needs to be done in this retreat process.
I’m saying no so that I can say healthier yeses tomorrow.
I’m mentally stepping back so I step forward.
I’m retreating so I can re-craft my life.
In quietness and in trust will be your strength. Isaiah 30:15
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