Doing more rarely gets us where we want to go, but instead wears us out and distracts us from the actual work, connection or transformation that needs to take place. The discipline of minimalism is about creating white space. It is about having less stuff to care for and maintain so that you have time and energy to invest in the things that matter most.
For me summer and sabbath are connected. Summer (perhaps in an imagined way) has the aura of rest and fun. Even if the plans don’t include a vacation getaway, often our rhythms and routines shift with the change in season. And sabbath is an opportunity to step into what God has created; it is not yet another to-do on the list, event to plan and organize, nor life optimization practice to be hacked. It is an invitation to rest; an exercise of deep trust.
Time is our most precious resource, ever moving and unstoppable. Being both reflective and purposeful about our commitments and priorities roots a meaningful existence.
Consider:
What do you need more of in the next few months?
What do you want less of?
How do you want to feel at the end of summer?
What rhythms (both spiritual and otherwise) would be life-giving over the next few weeks considering the commitments and constraints of your schedule?
A Blessing for the Summer
May you experience the ways that a less cluttered space (and schedule)
yields a less cultured mind (and heart)
and may the discipline of simplifying
lead to the clarifying of what matters most
And when you are tempted to do more,
working harder and hustling
may you slow, still and trust God
discovering that simplicity brings its own form of abundance.
May it be so.
If things are stirring that you would like to process in a soul care conversation, you can schedule a session here.