Less Striving. Deeper Wells. My Mantra for 2016. 

More and more I am learning that the root of unnecessary frustration in my personal life and in my business often stems from one single thing- striving.

Maybe the word striving doesn’t paint a negative picture for you. But for me, striving can be pictured like running on a hamster wheel. Hustling night and day…towards no worthwhile destination.

Feeling stressed over having something as little no great image for my Instagram feed…that is striving. Striving wastes room for productivity and creative ideas.

Feeling “behind” because “everyone” on social media seems to always be one step ahead with bigger and better ideas. Striving brings feeling of failure before you even have the chance to succeed. Or fail for that matter. 

Feeling insecure in friendships, and trying too hard to “fit in”. Striving will keep you in relationships that weigh you down and drain you, instead of lift you up and breathe life. 

Saying yes to everything I “should” say yes to, because it’s an opportunity to grow my business. Striving will create burn out, as you struggle to keep your head above water from taking on too many things. 

Comparing my business to anyone else’s, and not seeing room to grow and learn, but feeling instantly defeated. Striving will water seeds of bitterness, often unnoticed until it comes out in the ugly. 

Trying to do everything myself, stay in control, and not fully trusting God with my business. Striving blocks the blessing that God freely offers when we surrender every detail, and every grip of control to Him. 

In 2016, there will be less striving in my personal life, and in my business. But how? How will I not strive in comparison, relationships, finances, or business growth? How do I create a worthwhile, intentional destination?

By digging deeper wells. 

Turning off social media and getting outside fills my creative well with true, authentic, inspiration.

Starting my day with Scripture before Email fills my spiritual well with God’s voice, and not everyone else’s.

Appreciating the quiet and the meaningful, over the hustle & bustle fills my well with what matters most.

Building a business from my why, and returning to it often, keeps my well filled with contentment and direction.

Surrounding myself with an uplifting community outside the digital squares fills my well with relationships that matter.

These are just some of the things that are going to give me more direction & intention for 2016. No more striving. No more hustling from an empty, dry well- or even one filled with the wrong things. Honestly, what is filling your well right now? Are you caught in this feeling of always striving?

What would your business look like if there were no striving? Maybe you need to think about that and write it down somewhere. What would your LIFE look like if there were no striving? What are the things that are bringing you unnecessary strife and frustration?

When you think about what you want your well to be filled with, what means the most to you in this life? To what destination are you trying to reach? What is worth all of this to you?

I believe that freedom from striving is going to the the game changer for me this year. What will be yours?