Here’s an example of how it could look, feel, and be.
For most of my life I’ve been uncomfortably aware of my tendency to keep myself busy with to-do lists and activities. I've seen it as an expression of what is often called “hustle” or “grind” culture, which I have also called our “pusher, striver, driver” cultural paradigm.
During the past couple of years I’ve attempted to get off the usual mental hamster wheel and live my life in the “Flow” as best I could. I’ve had some success, and it’s been much more challenging than I ever imagined it would be. I’ve noticed, though, that each time I connect with that Flow, I experience it as Life Itself. It’s so real and nourishing that I keep coming back for more.
So I was delighted to see Tania Carriere’s recent blog The Freedom of Space and Pace. It’s illuminating and well worth reading her complete blog about her experience. These excerpts give you a flavor:
"Prompted by a feeling of momentum and calm, I scoop up the cat and move to the big wicker chair. It is time to write.
"I’m on sabbatical.
"Sounds romantic and enviable, doesn’t it?
"Well, to be honest, the first few weeks were awful. . .
"I’m trying to live in “flow”, let go of my old identity and with it, the usual markers for productivity, effectiveness or effort. . .
"To get over the squeamish feeling that this change gives me, I’m trying to slow down the hamster wheel of my mind. . .
"I am to attune myself to my natural rhythm, not the imposition of an artificial 60-minute schedule. . .
"My first response is a very strange kind of panic. . .
"I’m learning to listen for my rhythm and am finding that my greatest productivity comes from following impulse . . .
"Transformation is less about what you do and more about the fluid state that you allow yourself to live in. . .
"I’m no longer afraid of being fluid. I like honouring myself in natural time. . .
"I’m up for the challenge, how do I live with both the structure that this modern world exacts and the beauty of this moment, as I follow the impulse to nestle with the now purring cat?"
In my experience her last question is the big one. I really appreciate her beautiful and honest description as one example of how this way of living can look, feel, and be.
Other people are also talking about a shift out of the usual cultural model and mindset:
Milena Regos created Unhustle. She says, “At Unhustle, we are rebelling against old norms and creating a new way to live and work, nurturing individual happiness and wellbeing and collective progress,” and “Be a rebel. Shift from hustle to harmony. Unhustle is a community of high-achievers rebelling against the success-at-all-costs mindset to reclaim their lives while still achieving big things.”
Mark Silver, the Heart of Business, talks about “healing from toxic business culture so your small business can thrive” and says, “every act of business can be an act of love”. He recently posted a blog “The alternative to grind culture is not sitting on your butt.”
This is new territory for all of us. There aren’t any maps of “what” it is because it’s a process instead of an external “thing”, and we’re co-creating it as we go. There are some ways that are helpful and useful to relate to this and be empowered in process with it, which is one of my passions and specialties.
I've walked this territory many times over the years and am a trusted guide in the creative unknown where new life lives. If you’re experiencing difficulty around this, please check out my services and contact me . It’s my joy and honor to walk with people through this experience.