When I get into this kind of [hot mess] energy, the solution is counterintuitive and sometimes hard to bring myself to implement: Stop chasing. Slow down. The more I chase the messy bits and try to force them into order, the more they scatter.

And when I’m in this doing-chasing mode, that’s when my practices tend to slip away—which only makes the unease louder. That’s where I’ve been this past week.

In our overscheduled world, the simple act of showing up—physically being present—is significant. We all have countless valid reasons not to do something: time constraints, energy levels, or other commitments. Time is a precious nonrenewable resource, and how we choose to spend it speaks volumes about our priorities.