Can I ask if you are getting enough joy? Or is all the busy stuff getting in the way?

Ask people these days, "How's work going?" and somewhere in the response you'll hear things like "I'm so busy," or, "There's so much going on," or "There's no time to relax."  Do you say these things too? Be truthful!

These phrases can reflect a deficit at our inner spiritual core. All the competitive pressure and rapid change, combined with worry about our performance or job security, has us glorifying busyness. To be busy, we believe, makes us good and safe. So we either fill our lives with activity for activity's sake or we use busyness as an excuse. We con ourselves into thinking that things like meaning, focus, relationships and our greater purpose are secondary. It's an easy trap to fall into. We can end up all activity and no joy.

The truth is that whatever we glorify sets the path we go down in life. Not what we say we believe in, but what we actually worship at our inner core. The outer character of our life is no more than a reflection of the inner.

This week, I challenge you to glorify something other than being busy, something that gives you a spiritual surplus, something that lifts people around you, expands your inner core, and brings you joy and improved performance. 

Can you take five minutes and sample one or more of these candidates?

Compassion
Gratitude
Inspiration
Creativity (my hero!)
Respect
Purpose 

Or are you too busy?