Crystal Madrilejos

Whew. It’s been a wild couple of weeks… or months, I should say.

And with all that’s been going on, I’ve been doing some self-reflection and it seems that after many years of plugging away I’ve come to realize that not being hasty has worked greatly in mine and Andrew’s favor.

There has been an avalanche of action happening right now in our lives as I’ve been working through the launch of Wild Daughters and Andrew explores future ventures and we work to put ourselves in optimal positioning to hopefully, eventually build a house; many of our plans that we’ve been slowly working towards all these years are finally coming to fruition. Slowly, but surely. Pretty much goes against all notions that moving up in the world has to be accompanied by this fast paced, high-aiming trajectory, that moves at ever increasing speeds. Well, I’m here to tell you that perseverance and small-moves can be powerful work horses.

There are benefits to stepping back and seeing the full scope of any relative success. What occurs after the launch is usually all people focus on, and not much of the dirty work of getting there. As impulsive and impatient as I can be sometimes, together Andrew and I are very much “slow and steady” wins the proverbial race. At times it may appear from the outside (and the inside too) that we are just spinning our wheels, but I can honestly say that things aren’t always what they seem. We’ve been inching our way along a path towards an ultimate goal that has essentially been the same for many years and everyday we are closer than we’ve ever been before.

Good Things Come to Those Who Stick to Their Plans

Slog through the hard stuff, slow and steady. Stick to your plan and don’t build half-baked crazy contraptions along the way to try and make it to your goal faster because you’ll only find that these incomplete ideas just end up failing you and breaking and setting you back two-fold. If you see something that might aid in your journey that might give you  a little burst of energy, then sure, take advantage of it, but don’t be swayed by the “easy” route because sometimes that route is paved with comfort and familiarity that ultimately distracts you from your goal and sometimes is a circular path that leads you right back to where you started. Shortcuts aren’t always shortcuts. Sometimes taking an opportunity can be a shortcut, but that route can be even harder than the original path just over a shorter course. Learn to “lean into the discomfort” and see it as a necessary part of living wholeheartedly.

Lots of Movement, Little Progress

Here are some things that I always try to keep in mind when I feel like I’m creating a lot of movement, but seemingly little progress:

• Be Productive. Stop waiting for life to start and just start living because missing out on all the good things that are happening now by waiting for the “perfect moment” will only lead to regret. Work towards your goal, even if it’s just a little at a time, but don’t forget to enjoy it along the way.
• Stick to Your Values. Remember why you decided to take this path and why it’s important to you.
• Make time. Since the kids were born, much of my progress has been made in the the early hours, late hours and in-between hours. That’s not a lot of hours, but something is better than nothing.
• Haste makes waste. This has been our mantra for years. A waste of time, energy, and money. Think about the decisions you make, the responsibilities that come with it and whether it’s worth it. Avoid being impatient and impulsive.

With all that said, I know many people who have jumped on the fast track with great success. So, it’s possible, don’t get me wrong. I’ve just found that this slowness, this considerate and deliberate pace has worked for us, and maybe if someone out there is looking for fresh perspectives on how to navigate this crazy world, this might make them feel okay with their slow pace too.

The Universe  has granted Andrew and I  amazing opportunities. And with these opportunities come a whole load of responsibilities that, at times, overwhelm and scare us. But there is more satisfaction in knowing that we owned the responsibility and did the hard work. Life isn’t always going to be easy or even happy. But when it is, we truly appreciate it.

Recommended Reading

Read this insightful post over at Braid Creative: Are you a Commitment Phobic Creative?

For a dose of inspiration: Do. by Avish Bahma on Medium.com

Tags: Inspiration, Self