A Pact to Myself: On Living More

As you may have noticed, I’ve been a bit quiet on the blog lately. No, it’s not because I’ve forgotten about you all nor love you any less; rather it has to do with a little pact I made with myself a few weeks ago to LIVE more.

Don’t get me wrong – I adore blogging & most definitely feel ALIVE & vibrant when I am writing (more on that in a bit). But there’s a fine line between pleasure writing and the feeling of HAVING to write, and I’ve been working on defining that line and setting some boundaries.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this pact to live MORE, and I think it goes back to my initial 2014 intention of making an impact. In order to truly make my mark, I need to stop trying so hard and start living…more.

Living more means stepping back and allowing life to happen, without focusing so much on the how’s, the what’s and the to dos.

Living more means taking two weeks off from blogging in order to find some mental clarity.

Living more means breaking the rules, “messing up” & not having a plan for everything.

Living more means doing something – anything – every day to bring you closer to your dreams.

Living more means being OK with the fact that your room looks like a pigsty if it in turn means spending precious time with beautiful friends who make you laugh.

Living more means being there (and I mean truly there) for your significant other even if you’re stressed, had an off day or are on a tight deadline.

Living more means asking yourself what your deepest core desires are, and shifting things around to better align yourself with those desires.

Living more means saying no to the things that don’t serve you and yes to the things that challenge you & light you up with passion. (After all, as my boss always says, “What you say no to defines you.”)

Living more means tossing your to-do list, self help book & “rules” and going by what feels right in the moment.

Living more means taking a day for you to do what you want, or going away to Florida with your best friend for 5 days with nothing to do but lay in the sunshine.

Living more means putting on that cute apron and cooking a homemade meal from scratch with no distractions but a glass of Cab & some soft music playing in the background.

In order to live more, you need to stop worrying so much about the “shoulda coulda woulda’s” & the” have to’s” and just be.

In my recent effort to live more during my Florida vacation, I have crafted a new to do list that better suits the way I want to be living, with of course “live more” as #1.

Not your typical to do list, now is it? If you asked me a year ago at the top of my to do list would be to get a fulltime job, make more money, perhaps lose a few pounds, and finally write that book. Sounds pretty darn overwhelming, huh?

I don’t know about you but that kind of to-do list scares the crap out of me & comes with a great deal of pressure. Go after goal, don’t make goal, feel like a complete failure OR go after goal, make goal, feel sorta empty & unsatisfied wanting MORE. The thing is we always want MORE. It’s a lose lose situation.

And so there enters my redefined to-do list.

Writing daily seems much more gratifying (and doable) then “writing a book.” Taking time to unplug sounds more peaceful than getting a better job. Making time for play beats losing 5 pounds any day. And leaving some things up to the universe totally trumps making more money.

Living more is the answer. Stressing & fighting and forcing IT to happen (whatever it may be) is not.

I will continue to share with you little ways I choose to live more as I embark on my new journey, but to start I plan to take a heck of a lot more time for myself & spend a heck if a lot less time on the Internet.

I will still blog, I will still write, I will still coach. but not at the expense of me living my life anything less than the fullest. After all, to be there for others you need to be there for yourself first.

I’ll be perfectly honest with you: I am no expert at living more but I am willing to try, to start somewhere. We all need to start somewhere. That’s what it’s all about after all.

Xoxo,

Rachel

How can you live more? What does living more mean to you? What’s at the top of your re-defined to-do list?

20 Responses to “A Pact to Myself: On Living More”

  1. Jolene Says:

    ALL of this, but THIS in particular:

    Living more means asking yourself what your deepest core desires are, and shifting things around to better align yourself with those desires.

    LOVE every single word of this blog, LOVE your pics in FL and how happy you’ve looked in particular lately, and love your approach right now and mindset. it is exactly what I am working on and towards. It means SO MUCH and is something we all need to do – LIVE MORE!

  2. F&F Friday Favorites ~ 2.21.14 | Fitness & Feta Says:

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  3. Rachel @Healthy Chicks Says:

    @Jolene Thank you for your kind words, and love! So happy that you could resonate with this post. It’s definitely a journey, but so freakin worth it 🙂

  4. Monique @ Burpees to Bubbly Says:

    This post really hit home as “living more” and “stressing less” have been things I’ve been working towards this year (2 months in and I already need help!). You’re so right, thought. I really need to focus on living more rather than planning more, piling more on my plate, stressing over meal prepping, grocery shopping ,cleaning, laundry, etc. It’s sometimes just more work to try and let all of those things go, but I’ve been trying to be better about doing a little of that here and there, because all at once is too much! Thank you for writing this!

  5. Rachel @Healthy Chicks Says:

    @Monique Be patient with yourself, Monique! It’s all a process…so any little thing you can do each day to “stress less, live more” makes a difference. We all need to start somewhere! What an awesome goal to work toward this year. Please feel free to reach out if you ever need support 🙂 Happy Friday to you!

  6. Caitlin Says:

    I love the idea of making a list of stuff like that because often we overachievers feel like we ALWAYS need to be crossing something off a to-do list. Making a to-do list of RELAXING and self-care things to do is just the kind of perfect gateway an overachiever can take to relaxing, taking a step back, and breathing!
    Can’t wait to have more talks about this kind of stuff in person. XOXO

  7. Appetite for Instruction Says:

    Wonderful post! I’ve been obsessive about lists in the past and let emotional baggage weigh me down, and I love the approach you describe here.

  8. Rachel @Healthy Chicks Says:

    @Caitlin Yes, it’s so nourishing! I actually have another list called a “Nourishment Menu” with (you guessed it) a bunch of things that make you feel nourished, alive and supported. I refer to this every time I need a simple shift in perspective! Coffee dates soon 🙂

  9. Rachel @Healthy Chicks Says:

    @Appetite for Instruction Thanks, girl! It’s absolutely freeing – give it a try, would love to hear how it goes for you!

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  11. Kim @ healthy nest Says:

    Love love love this. I can totally relate. (Not just in this one area, but I want to write a book too. Someday…) Big ups to you for prioritizing yourself!

  12. Lecca with Live Well Boston Says:

    This is awesome!!! So important to constantly remind ourselves to be in the moment and more present whether that means unplugging or looking someone in the eye when you talk, or taking time just for you! I really love this! Thanks for the wonderful insights!

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