Breaking Free from the Sprint Towards the End of the Year
It’s that time of year again; the final stretch before the holidays. A time of year when it can feel like you’re on a countdown and you’re just hanging on until a break. A time of year that can feel like a sprint towards the finish line. A time of year that comes with endless to-do-lists and when there’s never enough time in the day. When there is an underlying feeling of needing to tie up loose ends, rush through everything, when you are hopping from one task to the next and where your mind is always ten steps ahead of what is right in front of you.
But something I’ve realised is that while this mindset is perhaps magnified at this time of year, it is often a recurring theme throughout life as a whole.
It is such a common, and easy, trap to fall into…
“Things will slow down when…”
“I just need to get through this week and then it will get easier…”
“I just need to push through and then everything will slow down…”
“Once this is over, I’ll have time to relax…”
It’s a pattern that feels all too familiar; a belief that peace lies just on the other side of the next hurdle.
But here’s the thing….the finish line keeps moving.
Because what I’m sure you’ve noticed is that this is a never-ending cycle. When one milestone has been and gone, the next one will present itself. And to some extent, this is perhaps human nature. It is evolutionary. We are designed to look forward and reach for more. But I worry that perhaps it has been taken too far and we are so focused on what is coming next that when the thing comes that we had been wanting, we don’t fully appreciate it. We just jump straight on to the next thing.
How often have you hit a milestone, got through a difficult time of life, finished that big project, organised that event, got through a busy work period, made it through December, only to find the next milestone waiting in line? The mindset of “I just need to push through” traps you in a cycle. You might tell yourself that life will slow down after this, yet new challenges and demands will inevitably arise.
This constant sprint through life not only depletes your energy but also robs you of the joy in everyday moments. When you’re perpetually focused on what’s next, you miss what’s right in front of you. And over time, this way of living can leave you feeling burned out, disconnected and yearning for a sense of peace that seems forever out of reach.
So, how do you break free from this cycle, especially during the busiest time of the year?
The key lies in shifting your mindset. Instead of waiting for something to happen to feel calm, relaxed, peaceful or whatever else it may be that you’re longing for, I encourage you to actively cultivate that feeling now, even in the chaos.
Some simple, but powerful, practices are to…
Set boundaries with your time
It’s easy to say yes to every holiday event or commitment, but remember that your energy is finite. Prioritise what truly matters and give yourself permission to say no to what doesn’t.
Focus on one thing at a time
Multitasking provides an illusion of productivity, but more often than not, it leaves you feeling more frazzled and with a handful of half-finished tasks. Instead, fully immerse yourself in one task, give it your undivided attention and complete it before moving on to the next.
Let go of perfection
The holidays (and life) don’t have to be flawless to be meaningful. Embrace the imperfections and focus on presence and connection over perfection. Resist the temptation here to compare your reality with the highlight reel of someone else’s social media.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness, being present in the here and now, encourages you to focus less on chasing the future and more on appreciating the present moment. It’s about being fully immersed in the moment you’re in right now, finding joy in the small, ordinary things and cultivating a sense of contentment with the life you’re already living.
Recognise how far you have come
Take a moment to look back and consider how far you’ve come, whether that’s in the last few months, years or even decades. Because probably where you are now is actually what past versions of you wanted at some stage in your life. So how can you have got here and already be wishing this time away? Allow yourself to appreciate and feel proud of all that you have achieved.
Practice gratitude
Practicing gratitude is one way to anchor yourself in the present. It’s about taking time to reflect and feel thankful for what you have, what’s going well and what you appreciate about your life. Gratitude doesn’t diminish your dreams for the future; it simply reminds you that you’re already living parts of them now.
There’s a quote that really captures this mindset beautifully by Esther Hicks which I often come back to…
“The reason you want every single thing that you want is because you think you will feel really good when you get there. But if you don’t feel really good on your way to there, you can’t get there. You have to be satisfied with what is while you’re reaching for more.”
This idea flips the script. Instead of seeing happiness, peace or calm as something that only exists in the future, tied to the achievement of a goal, it invites you to find joy and satisfaction in the present moment. It’s a reminder that your feelings aren’t just an outcome of a milestone, but they are a tool for creating it.
So in moments when you feel life passing you by in a whirlwind, when you feel yourself rushing, hopping from one goal to the next and telling yourself “it will get better when…”, this is your reminder…..
Slow down.
Stop rushing through life.
Stop wishing this time away.
And if you feel yourself resisting slowing down, I would gently encourage you that you need this even more. There is a common concept often spoken of in yoga that what you resist or dislike the most, is usually what you most need. Similarly with meditation, there is this idea that if you don’t have time to meditate, you need to meditate for twice as long.
And the same applies here. If you feel yourself wanting to speed up, I gently challenge you to slow down twice as much.
What if this holiday season became the moment you decide to stop sprinting through life? Instead of seeing the end of the year as the finish line, you could see it as an opportunity to slow down, reflect and reconnect, with yourself and your loved ones.
This shift won’t happen overnight. But with practice, you can create a rhythm that allows you to move through life with more calm and intention. The to-do lists might not disappear, but they’ll no longer dictate your peace of mind.
Because here’s the truth: the calm you’re searching for doesn’t lie at the end of a goal. It exists in the way you choose to approach each day and every moment.
Find the courage to pause, the strength to say no, the wisdom to prioritise and the joy in simply being, no matter how busy life may seem.
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