Included at the end of the post is even a link to get your FREE digital breaking busy toolkit!
Also, the first chapter of the book is FREE!
Why did I pick this book? The title caught my attention because I am known to many around me to be over worked, over busy and just stressed in general. Not always in a bad way, no worries. But with no car, homeschooling three kids in the city, running boy scouts, running girl scouts, and honestly going through a lot more than people are necessarily aware of (isn't that always the case?), I needed something that may give more self help guidance.
So this post is way more than just a book review for me. It gives practical advise and ways of searching what is going on in your life to help your levels of stress to be lower. Who doesn't want that?
This is a book filled with humour, fun, truth and ideas. But...How do we break the busy in our lives?
I love her using her I phone as the analogy of our energy stores and levels being used.
Our phones have the capability to tell us when they are drained, but we don't always have the same capability to see when our battery is low.
She goes over in her book the 7 signs that we are too busy in our lives.
7 Signs we are all too busy!
#1 An Inability to Control Emotions
#2 Lack of Self Care
#3 Illness
#4 Chronic Lateness
#5 Self Medicating and Excess (not actually medicine but in what we do)
#6 Neglecting Important Relationships
#7 Neglecting Spiritual Path
She also goes over relationships and her relationship with God (and if you don't like that just skip that chapter and go onto the next). There lies many great things.
The next chapter about following your calling. Like hers, mine has oddly become writing amongst my busy mum life just like hers.
What is interesting that Alli became more outgoing via her blog she started than she did in person. Sharing more of herself and her learnings. She was more fearful in person. So her blog helped her grow outwardly. I am very outgoing and if anything my blog has taught me to balance my outgoing personality with professionalism.
She talks about an idea that if we break the cycle of busy we can find our true calling. I think I am going to try to find this. It is so hard to take a minute to chill out to be able to rethink life. It does make sense though if you think about it. If we are wrapped up in busy other opportunities can't knock because you are busy in the rave and can't hear the knock.
How to Find Your Passion Again:
This is listed in her book and if you are feeling stuck should utilitised to figure out your path in your own life.
#1 What have you loved to do since childhood
#2 Discover what you love
#3 What tugs at your heart
#4 If money were no object, what would you do for free?
#5 What energizes you?
#6 What is something everyone says you are good at?
The next chapter's most memorable quote on page 84 that any mum can relate to is:
Being frozen in fear, like on page 84, is something everyone can relate to. It is how I feel before I post something that is more personal. Like one of my recent posts My Heart Hurts on Valentine's Day & It's Okay! and it was not an easy one to write or to post. I had so much fear doing it but at the same time I know that I needed to do it. I knew that having my voice be heard was important. I knew that sharing something for other people who could easily relate was also important."I was having a slow-motion break down with a smile on my face."~@alli#BreakingBusy #mondaymotivation #mommytweets— Via Bella (@Via__Bella) February 15, 2016
Sometimes, we have to overcome that fear that we have. We have to change and grow. Sometimes those come as at a cost like it did for Alli, where she left her baby of a company that had grown up. She had to choose to change. It was not easy but it was necessary.
How Did (she) Make Proactive Life Edits?
#1 Be Proactive, not reactive
#2 Discover what needs editing
#3 Look for areas in your life that are fruitful
#4 Look at where you may be called
#5 Examine what may be hindering you
The other thing in the book that she talks about is anxiety really being something that can hinder you. It binds you to the old you and not the you that is possible. We focus so much in the past moving forward presents this anxiety. That breeds negativity.
How to Overcome Negative Thoughts
#1 Abide in Faith
#2 Stay Mindful
#3 Surround yourself with positive friends
#4 Focus on discipline of gratitude
Living by a calendar and time crunch is something else she talks about.
I know I personally struggle with this because of the simple fact that I am a mum and a scout leader. Anyone else that is a mum generally lives by her calendar too.
Setting Boundaries on Your Time
#1 Make a stop doing list
#2 learn to say no
#3 Add in spiritual time for yourself
#4 Add time to connect with others
#5 Add time to take care of yourself
She goes on to talk about how to make decision for yourself. Also to have good communication.
One of the greatest assets, in my opinion, for this book is the communication chapter. It lays out finding out if you over communicate or under communicate and how either of those can make you busy and waste your time.
Sometimes we are so busy in trying to prove our worth. When we don't worry about that, would we be as busy? She goes over the lie of not being enough and finding our own self worth.
At the end of the day we are all worth it and we all have potential to grow and be our true selves. People like Alli believe that way is through breaking patterns and giving it all to God. Whether you believe in God or not, this is a great way to learn to give up your wasted time to break the pattern of busy.
I would give this book a 4 out of 5.
Lots of great information and helpful. Written in a very understandable language that is easy to understand. Great grammar. Easy ready. I think the other star comes off for several reasons. Some run on parts. A little fluffy sometimes but not bad. Also, her faith is important to her and I think that how much she uses that can hinder how helpful this book can be for many who aren't willing to read over that to see past it. I am, but some aren't. I will say that it is not so strong that she is faith-shaming you, because she is not. Just talking from her experience. So if you believe in Buddha, you can just replace it. I think to mention here and there is fine, but I am reviewing not just on my behalf but knowing some friends who would put down this book because of the repeated biblical references. It does not bother me so much but some of that I will admit to skipping over so I can read more underneath what she was trying to say.
Other than that, this is a great read and super helpful. It makes you realise the hamster wheel we are all on without realising it! I enjoyed it a lot!
I do suggest this book for you! Here is some FREE things for you!
GET YOUR BREAKING BUSY DIGITAL TOOLKIT FREE!
GET YOUR FREE FIRST CHAPTER HERE!
*I am required to let you know I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*
No comments:
Post a Comment