Reframing busyness. Look for abundance in the everyday.
Return of the busyness.
I’ve found that a return to busyness has arrived. At first it was with the children’s after school clubs and now with the additional appointments we are all trying to book in along with meeting friends and families for outdoor fun and juggling our work commitments too. Busyness is a funny thing and I generally try to avoid it. However I have been thinking of how I can reframe the term “busyness”?
For our mental wellbeing, how can we re-frame the term “busy”?
Of course, we are going to feel busy after we have spent the past year generally at home and this busyness is a positive step towards a new normal and social interaction that we have all missed.
So, I have been thinking of “being busy” as new way of receiving “moments of abundance”.
If every interaction that is booked in to my diary is actually a gift of abundance then I am not “busy” but I am thankful for the gift.
For example, I popped into our local town on Saturday to collect a birthday gift for a friend. It was market day and happened to be the first market day since the lift of lockdown. It was “busy”. There were people everywhere and I had a sudden thought of “oh my, this is too busy for me”….but then I looked around and looked closer.
People were laughing, people were enjoying themselves. I took in the laughter, the buzzing atmosphere and the sunshine and reframed my take on the experience.
It was brilliant. The sun was bright. People were chatting, people were happy and the town was alive.
So, instead of just picking up the gift and heading home, I decided to wander and take a look at the market stalls too. I wanted to absorb the happy feelings around me.
There was an abundance of happiness.
Celebrating nature’s abundance.
Saturday afternoon, I spent some time looking at our crab apple tree. The blossom is in full bloom and I wanted to take a closer look with the camera. Last year I captured a beautiful image of a bee on the same tree and I wanted to have a play with the camera and see what I could create this time.
As a mum of four, time in nature with my camera is important to me and one of the wellbeing tools I use to reconnect to my creative self and explore the world around me. It’s great for the soul.
I decided I’d capture some film. This is something I’ve been playing around with for a while and it felt like a perfect opportunity to capture the bees buzzing away doing their business.
On this one tree, I noticed that there is an abundance of bees. As I watched and waited to capture a little bee, it made me wonder about abundance in nature.
Spring comes and there is an abundance of blossom. The bees come and there is an abundance of bees. The dandelions bloom in the fields and there is an abundance of yellow. When nature is left untouched to do it’s business, there is a natural abundance. There is no shortage. Nature goes with the flow, adapts, evolves and moves through the seasons going about its role in life.
Perhaps there is something to learn from this.
Every experience is an opportunity for learning.
A very wise person (thank you Zofie Lloyd Kucia from Relax me happy) once said to me; “Don’t be like the bee, be like the flower.
Stand still, absorb the nutrients around you, blossom and bloom and the bees will come to you.
However, perhaps sometimes it is ok to be a busy bee, if the things that you are inviting into your life are intentional and offer you an abundance of something that brings you joy and happiness. What do you think?
So, I have a challenge for you.
What are you consciously saying yes to this week that offers you abundance?
And the next time someone asks, “how are you?” - can you reframe your response from “busy” to “seeking moments of abundance”? (You obviously don’t have to say that, but what can you say that shares a positive vibe and brings you happiness?)
It’s going to be tricky, even for me. I will have to stay consciously aware which I know is a challenge when I have four young boys pressing my buttons each day. (They know I love them).
But, I would love to hear how you get on and what you think about reframing the “busyness” in our lives.
If you are interested in reading a little more about intentional living, I have just finished the book “the year of less” by Cait Flanders.
Cait tells her story of living a more minimalistic and intentional life through giving up shopping and decluttering. It’s an easy, enjoyable read which really does get you thinking. I found it very insightful.
If you are looking for a little bit of you time this week, remember to head outside and embrace the abundance of spring. A blossom tree will always welcome you.
You can check out my recent article on “The power of a tree” which may help to guide you.
I will look forward to hearing how you experienced the challenge of seeking abundance like the bees.
Have a wonderful week. Claire.