#283 - Monday Motivation: "It's not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?"

Welcome to another short but empowering episode of Monday Motivation, giving you a dose of inspiration as you head into your week... 

Today, we explore the profound wisdom of Henry David Thoreau: 

“It’s not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?”

Three key takeaways you can expect: 

1. How to reflect on your daily tasks to ensure they align with your dream life.
2. The importance of prioritizing meaningful activities over mere busyness.
3. Simple strategies to stay intentional and focused on what truly matters.

This short episode is a perfect reminder - if you need it - that being productive isn’t about doing more, but about doing what counts.

Take this opportunity to learn how to filter through the noise and focus on actions that move you closer to your dreams.

Listen in and discover how staying intentional can help you create a life you love, filled with purpose and meaning - and if you need help with that, join me in September as we plan to do just that for Q4.

Hands on and practical. Learn more here...

As always, I’d LOVE to hear what resonates with you from this episode and what you plan to implement after listening in. So please share and let’s keep the conversation going in the Dream Life Podcast Facebook Group here.    

And if you love the quote and want to inspire yourself with it in your everyday life, see these inspiring products here...

Have a wonderful week… and remember, it all starts with a dream 💛

Enjoy! 

Kristina 💛

Dream Life Founder  

SHOW NOTES:

• Join our Power of Connection & Journaling breakfast event with Tory Archbold & I. Link for Sydney on 28th August. Link for Melbourne on 27th August.
• Learn more & register here for our FIJI REINVENT YOU RETREAT. Embark on a transformative journey guided by Kristina Karlsson, Sarah Pirie-Nally, Nicole Hatherly, and Shaynna Blaze.
• Join my Platinum Coaching Program - where in September the focus is on going deep into Planning the Last Quarter of 2024 to be super productive, including a special bonus session on AI. Learn more here.
• Join my virtual book club GROW for September where we'll meet weekly on Zoom to discuss and squeeze the learnings from this brilliant book, Self-Belief Is Your Superpower: Unleash Your Life Purpose, Own Your Power, and Become a Magnet for Miracles by Tory Archbold. Learn more here..
• Dream Life Community Facebook Group: Connect with like-minded dreamers.
• If you're interested in joining us at the amazing SHE EVOLVES RETREAT in beautiful Byron Bay, you can find more information here... If you decide it's for you, use my speaking discount code to get a $250 discount: KKARLSSON
• Learn more & register here for our RECONNECT TO YOU Retreat.
• 🌿 Experience the joy of a wonderful retreat, while learning how to run your own personal solo retreats 🌿

RESOURCES:

• Sign up to our email list here to hear about upcoming workshops.
• Join my Habit Club and get support and accountability as you focus on changing the building blocks of your life - your daily habits. Learn more here…
• Take your first step to getting clarity on what you want from life with this free bonus dreaming exercise here 101 Dreams Audio Guide 
• Buy Kristina's book, Your Dream Life Starts Here

TRANSCRIPT:

Good morning and welcome back to another Monday Morning Motivation episode.

This is where every Monday I share some ideas and insights to help you start your week with energy, focus, and intention.

Today's episode is inspired by one really great quote from Henry David Thoreau, and the quote goes: "It's not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?"

This quote really resonated with me because in a world where everyone is running around busy, the real question is, what are we actually doing? Busy doing.

Are we chasing the things that truly matter to us? Or are we simply moving through the motions of our daily tasks?

I so often hear, and I'm sure you can relate to this, when I ask how people are, the reply is they are busy. And yes, I get it, a lot of us have very busy lives, but sometimes I'm wondering. What would happen if we stop for a moment and really understand why we reply with that answer?

Today I want to explore how we can be more intentional with our time and our energy so that we are not just busy, but busy with purpose, busy with meaning, busy creating our dream lives.

So let's reflect on your busyness.

The first step in applying Thoreau's wisdom to your life is to take a pause and reflect on what you are currently spending your time on.

Grab your journal, and this is the perfect moment to ask yourself, what am I? with. Are your tasks aligned with your deeper dreams and goals or are they just filling up your day with things that don't really bring you closer to your dream life?

And for this exercise, list the three things you spend the most time on each day. And now look at each of those activities and ask yourself, does this move me closer to my dreams? To my dream life, or is it just busy work? Sometimes we get caught up in tasks that feel urgent, but when we step back, we realize they're not really that important.

We need to filter through the noise and focus on the actions that align with our deepest dreams and goals. And then we get to prioritize what truly matters. Once you have reflected on what you are currently busy with, it's time to prioritize. What are the tasks that truly matter? For this, I love using a simple method I call the big three.

Every week I ask myself, what are the three most important things I want to accomplish that will move me closer to success? to my dreams and goals. These should be the things that are meaningful, that will make a difference, that align with your dream life. Prioritizing means saying no to things that don't align with your dreams and goals.

And I know how hard that can be, especially for those of us who love helping others and saying yes to everything. But remember, Every time you say no to something that doesn't serve your dreams, you are saying yes to the life you truly want. So then we get into how to stay intentional. Staying intentional isn't just about making a list and calling it a day.

It's a daily practice. Like with everything on this podcast. You have to consistently check in with yourself to ensure that you are on the right track. One of my favorite ways to do this is by practicing gratitude and journaling. Every morning, I take a few moments to write down the things I'm grateful for and the key priorities for my day.

This helps me stay focused on what truly matters while also grounding me in gratitude. Gratitude reminds us what's really important. Already beautiful in our lives, and it helps us create space for more of what we love. If you are feeling overwhelmed or lost in business, use gratitude as your anchor.

Take a few deep breath, reflect on what you have accomplished, and then ask yourself, What's the next most important thing I can do today? Not the biggest, not the busiest, but the most important. And then let go of the unnecessary. One final tip for today. Often we carry around tasks, responsibilities, or even mindsets that don't serve us anymore.

If something is weighing you down, it might be time to let it go. Whether it's a project that no longer aligns with your dreams and goals, or even just the pressure to always be productive, release it. You don't have to do it all, and certainly not all at once. I truly believe you can do anything in life, just not everything all at once.

Thoreau's message isn't about being less busy. It's about being purposeful in your business. It's about living in alignment with what truly matters to you. And when we do that, we're not just busy, we're busy creating a life we love, our own dream life. So as you head in to this new week, I encourage you to carry this reflection with you.

What are you busy about? Make sure you are filling your days with things that fill you up, things that brings you closer to your dreams and things that truly matter. Thank you so much for tuning in to today's Monday Morning Motivation episode.

I hope you found this time valuable and that you are feeling inspired to prioritize your dream life over just being busy. If you love this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, leave a review if you've got time and share it with someone who may need a little Monday morning motivation today.

Have the most magical week and I'll see you back on Friday.