Notebook #1: When was the last time you stopped?

There was a time when I thought being busy meant I was doing well.

My diary was full, my to-do list was never-ending and, if anyone asked how I was, the answer was almost always, "Busy!" It felt like a badge of honour.

Looking back, I'm not sure it was.

Somewhere along the way, we've started treating busyness as a measure of success. We rush from one thing to the next, answering emails while making a cup of tea, thinking about tomorrow while we're still living today. We become so used to moving that stopping can almost feel uncomfortable.

Yet it's often in the moments when we finally stop that we realise what we've been missing.

Sometimes it's a feeling we've been pushing aside.

Sometimes it's an idea that's been waiting patiently for our attention.

Sometimes it's simply the realisation that we've been looking after everyone else except ourselves.

One of the things I love most about coaching is that it gives people permission to pause.

Not because sitting and talking is the goal but because when life slows down, even for a little while, we often start hearing ourselves again.

And it's amazing what we already know once we finally have the space to listen.

A question to leave with you...

What have you been too busy to notice lately?