This post continues our discussion on The In-Between by Jeff Goins and focuses on Chapter 1.
Think back to your last road trip. Did you enjoy the journey? Or, did you endure it? Did you consider it part of the experience, or just an means to an end? Does your life look and feel like your last road trip?
Many people live overwhelmed lives. They seem constantly on a road trip from one place to another, just enduring the trip to reach a destination. Only, the destination seems short-lived, and then off on another trip they go. Maybe that’s you.
Ask yourself the following questions to help determine if your life resembles one long road trip with bathroom breaks and fast food stops at the rest area as they only rest on the journey.
Am I constantly frustrated at someone and/or something?
Do I blame others for why I am overwhelmed & frustrated?
Do I constantly have a long list of unmet expectations?
Is my busyness really self-imposed?
Does my fast-paced life actually feel empty?
Am I constantly rushing to the next thing?
Does my life seemed to be filled with rushing and little or no resting?
If answering these questions leads you to believe that perhaps your life needs to slow down a bit, that maybe you’re missing out by failing to enjoy – or even notice – the journey, consider that perhaps the journey might actually be the best part of this experience called life. That perhaps the journey itself can give the necessary rest that you and your family need to finally breathe and connect and just exist together.
So many people feel trapped in the rush of life, like they always live on a journey and never reach a destination. In Chapter 2 of “The In-Between,” Jeff Goins offers the following advice for enjoying the journey, for tipping the scales to actually resting more instead of constantly rushing.
- Plan for interruptions. Since you’ll have them anyway, plan for making them matter.
- Enjoy life’s mundane moments. Pay attention & see what’s really there in the ordinary.
- Stop fighting simplicity. Enjoy the times that surround & outnumber the big events.
- Focus on creating a few lasting memories. Instead of being a tourist, become a traveler.
- Notice what others overlook. Avoid following the crowd, and instead look outside the lines.
- Be present in the moment. Refuse to always look to “What’s next?” and instead enjoy right now.
- Take time where you’d normally rush. Deliberately slow down the pace of life.
If you ask my kids what they remember about our last few vacations, all of which included lengthy road trips to and from our destination as well as during the trip itself, they’d likely would tell stories about the fun we had on the journey. In fact, you could ask them about any windshield time, and they’d likely have a story to tell.
They’d tell you about VanWert, Ohio. They’d tell you about the “You are here!” sign somewhere between Michigan & Missouri. They’d tell you about the rock beach and elephant seals on Highway 1 in California. Oh, and they’d definitely tell you about my continual driver’s training course for other motorists! All unplanned events. All laughter-filled.
Turns out the times that last most in their memories end up being the times we rest instead of rush. Creating these lasting memories truly comes only through enjoying the journey and refusing to only ever focus on the destination.
Note: Our next discussion inspired by “The In-Between” by Jeff Goins will cover Chapter 2 and will be posted on November 21st.