"Steady as a clock, busy as a bee, cheerful as a cricket." – Martha Washington
In American society, we pride ourselves on our busyness. How many projects we have to juggle at work, how many activities and hobbies we're involved in, how many events we have to prepare for. We love being busy.
Yet, seldom do we take a step back and realize how lucky we are to be so busy.
We love to boast, brag, and compare scars on how much stress we're under. Competitions over who got the least amount of sleep, who has the most deadlines, or who is involved in the most organizations. We complain about how exhausted we are, we sneer at those who have less on their plate than us, and we can't help but second-guess ourselves when we have a day free of any responsibilities.
Have you ever thought about how fortunate you are to be so busy? Think of all the stressors in your life currently – maybe it's school, work, family, romantic relationships. Think of what it is that is taking up so much of your time to make you so busy. In my case, that would be school. Final exams, deadlines, papers, and group projects are nearly swallowing me whole. I seldom talk about much else with my peers.
But, taking a step back from all the stress, I realize that I am so lucky to be so busy. I'm getting an education – something not everyone can say for themselves. I have a roof over my head, a bed to lie in, clothes to keep me warm, and food to nourish my body. On top of all my essentials being more than taken care of, I have the privilege of going to class every day and working towards a degree. How lucky I am to be stressed and busy.
This is not meant to make you feel guilty for the blessings in your life, nor to minimize your stress and anxiety. Your stress is still perfectly valid, especially as a college student. But, it can be rewarding and stress alleviating to take a minute and observe what it is you are stressed over. Grades, projects at work, spats with co-workers or friends, or missing deadlines are all temporary stressors. Those things will pass. Think of the relief you feel when you finally finish that one project. Or the free time that comes as a result of meeting that one deadline. Or even how happy and accomplished you may feel when you have so many healthy priorities filling your life.
Being busy is a blessing. It's not always fulfilling, and it's not always free of stress. But it is a privilege to have a life full of things to do and people to see.
