Gayle Lawrence – Head Trainer at Greatness Courses & Head Wellness Coaching Trainer at LCA
Have you ever responded to someone’s inquiry of how you are or perhaps turned down a social engagement citing “I am busy” – me too until I learned to approach things differently.
“The greatest enemy of good thinking is busyness.” John Maxwell
Yes, the phrase ‘busyness’ or as researchers call the ‘busy mindset’ is commonly used today and it is interesting to understand what drives it. Social researchers have found that it has a significant correlation to self-importance. And no we are not all egomaniacs for saying or feeling we are busy, more that it has become ingrained in our lifestyle.
I challenge you to be self-observant today and take note of your day-to-day interactions and almost innate replies, just how many times your default is “I am busy”?
Something about Gayle!
Back when I first started my own business, there was a lot to do and I was constantly in a state of busyness trying to power through my daily to do lists and address the seemingly never-ending demands of work and life.
A dear friend once said to me they didn’t want to take up my time. Now I had to understand why as that is not the outcome you want from friends. It is totally the opposite, is it not? It was at that moment a realization of how often the word busy was used – Ouch!
I had to change my approach and I decided it was time to change my language when I responded to my day-to-day interactions with clients, friends and loved ones as a starting point.
👉Be aware of how often you say ‘busy’ and think of what else you can say instead? Let me know your go to responses in place of busy by commenting in this post.
Notice the feeling it generates when you change your wording – as words have a charge.
Do these words shifts your focus as it moves away from a scarcity mindset around your time?