Liked this. The message about constantly chasing the next thing instead of actually living in the moment felt genuine and relatable. I think a lot of people will see themselves in this, especially the part about being busy all the time without ever really slowing down. It had a calm honesty to it that made it easy to connect with.
That constant “next thing” mindset is so easy to fall into without noticing. I didn’t really see it clearly until I had a few moments where everything slowed down and it felt… unfamiliar, almost uncomfortable at first.
And that part about being busy without actually feeling present - I think a lot of us sit in that more than we realise. It looks productive on the outside, but it doesn’t always feel like we’re really there.
I’m glad the tone landed for you. I wanted it to feel like something you could recognise, not something distant or ideal.
The line that carries the most weight is I mistook movement for meaning. That is the core of what most productivity culture gets wrong and what this piece arrives at honestly through lived experience rather than theory. The ache that follows stillness is not weakness, it is the accumulated cost of all the moments that got skipped in the chase finally having somewhere to land.
“I mistook movement for meaning” wasn’t something I understood intellectually at first - it was more like hitting a point where slowing down felt uncomfortable in a way I couldn’t ignore anymore. That ache you mentioned… I’ve felt that too. It’s not weakness, it’s more like everything you’ve been pushing past suddenly catching up.
What surprised me was realizing that the discomfort wasn’t a sign to speed back up, but something to actually sit with for a bit. Not easy, but it changed how I see those quieter moments.
Really appreciate how you put that into words - it added something to it for me too.
Such a beautiful post, Alexandra. Thank you. 🙏I may read it to my advanced students. I'd love to discuss the concepts of "presence", "joy" and "fulfillment" with them. By the way, hubby got me JOY CHOSE YOU by Donna Ashworth for Christmas which I absolutely adore. It's probably my favourite poetry collection. 😊
Liked this. The message about constantly chasing the next thing instead of actually living in the moment felt genuine and relatable. I think a lot of people will see themselves in this, especially the part about being busy all the time without ever really slowing down. It had a calm honesty to it that made it easy to connect with.
I’m really glad it felt that way to you.
That constant “next thing” mindset is so easy to fall into without noticing. I didn’t really see it clearly until I had a few moments where everything slowed down and it felt… unfamiliar, almost uncomfortable at first.
And that part about being busy without actually feeling present - I think a lot of us sit in that more than we realise. It looks productive on the outside, but it doesn’t always feel like we’re really there.
I’m glad the tone landed for you. I wanted it to feel like something you could recognise, not something distant or ideal.
The line that carries the most weight is I mistook movement for meaning. That is the core of what most productivity culture gets wrong and what this piece arrives at honestly through lived experience rather than theory. The ache that follows stillness is not weakness, it is the accumulated cost of all the moments that got skipped in the chase finally having somewhere to land.
“I mistook movement for meaning” wasn’t something I understood intellectually at first - it was more like hitting a point where slowing down felt uncomfortable in a way I couldn’t ignore anymore. That ache you mentioned… I’ve felt that too. It’s not weakness, it’s more like everything you’ve been pushing past suddenly catching up.
What surprised me was realizing that the discomfort wasn’t a sign to speed back up, but something to actually sit with for a bit. Not easy, but it changed how I see those quieter moments.
Really appreciate how you put that into words - it added something to it for me too.
That’s a really grounded insight that “urge to move” isn’t always progress, and sometimes the discomfort is just delayed awareness catching up.
Those quieter moments can feel uneasy at first because they interrupt momentum, but they often show you what the speed was covering up.
Glad it added something for you too.
Such a beautiful post, Alexandra. Thank you. 🙏I may read it to my advanced students. I'd love to discuss the concepts of "presence", "joy" and "fulfillment" with them. By the way, hubby got me JOY CHOSE YOU by Donna Ashworth for Christmas which I absolutely adore. It's probably my favourite poetry collection. 😊