Without a doubt we live in a fast paced, crazy-busy world today. So how do you slow down from crazy to casual?
The word casual is rarely used to describe life – except for how we dress. Occasionally, my wife will invite me to attend a work-related function with her and I will ask how I should dress; the reply usually comes back, “casual.”
I often wonder where a phrase like this has gone: “Let go for a casual walk.” Instead, a walk is usually about trying to burn as many calories in as short a time as possible. Or what about having “a casual conversation,” rather than competing with each other to tell as much as we can about ourselves (or our kids or grandkids) in a short a time as possible because we have a schedule to keep. Then there’s the long-gone “casual meal” instead of a meal sandwiched between arriving late and hurrying to leave for the next thing on the schedule.
How often do we hear or use words like unplanned, spontaneous, of-the-cuff, unintentional or unexpected? There are all synonyms of the word casual. Yet these words sound negative, or are rarely used in our society today. At one time these words reflected a calmer, slower pace of life.
Is casual living gone for good or can we recapture it?
I believe it can be recaptured if we are willing to make some adjustments.
Be intentional about making your life casual. Don’t wait for life to slow down; it never will. You must decide that you want to do more than dress casually. You must also want casual to be how you approach relationships in your life. Not casual in the sense of nonchalant or uncaring, but casual in the sense of unhurried.
This is not to deny that you have deadlines to meet and a schedule to keep. Rather it is meant to help you control your schedule rather than allowing your schedule to control you. Certainly, you will have seasons of busyness; we all do. But it should be just that: a season not a way of life.
Prioritize the relationships and responsibilities in your life. My order of priority is God, self, family, work. Everything about my life is centered in God. What are your priorities? If you want to know what your priorities look like, look at where you focus the best and most of your resources. Now ask yourself: Is this the way I want my life to be prioritized?
It starts with your calendar. You must get in the habit of taking control of your time before others take control of it for you. You have the power to decide how busy your life will be. At the start of the week, or the end of the previous week, take the time to plan how you want to spend your time. Although life gets a bit crazy-busy at times, that should be the exception.
If a week feels like to far ahead for you to plan, then start with planning your day either the night before or the first thing at the start of your day.
The casual, unhurried lifestyle may seem like a thing of the past. I want to say it is not.
If you are willing to be intentional, get your priorities right and take control of you time, you will begin to discover the casual, unhurried life is still possible even though you live in a crazy-busy world.
What one action you can take today that would start restoring ing causal in your life again?
If you would like help in achieving your goals as a leader or in any area of your life, call us at 208-880-0307 or email us at errol@errolcarrim.com to schedule a complimentary coaching session. To read Errol’s other posts, visit Christ-Centered Life Coaching.