I was talking to a friend earlier this week. She was telling me how depleted she feels, after a big, busy year.

Then she said: “I have 5 whole days off over Christmas! I won’t know what to do with myself!”

When I suggested that perhaps she could try resting and relaxing, her response was “Relaxing? Who’s that? I don’t know her!”.

I can relate to this experience of disorientation when we find ourselves with nothing to do.

Part of me believes that ‘doing’ is proof of my enough-ness. For this part of me, the idea of not doing is excruciating. She believes that, if she’s not doing, not achieving, not producing – then she is worthless.

Today, I know how to take good care of this part of me – who I affectionately call Little Miss Achiever.

I know how to reassure her.

I know how to ensure she feels appreciated and acknowledged by me.

When I give her this, she is able to relax a little, so I can have enough inner peace, momentarily, to just ‘be’.

It’s taken some time – but today I know that there’s just so much more I can be than a high-achieving-low-maintenance-machine. And, often, when I remember there’s more I can BE, I realise that there’s actually less I need to DO in that moment.

When I remember my CONNECTNESS, I might realise that I don’t need to go it alone.

When I remember my PLAYFULNESS, I might realise that things are really not that urgent or heavy.

When I remember my CREATIVITY, I might realise that there’s an easier way.

When I remember my PATIENCE, I might realise that I can take a slower, gentler approach.

When I remember my COMPASSION, I might realise that there’s actually nothing more important than being fully present – with myself and with others.

When I remember my WORTHINESS, I might realise that there’s actually nothing I need to prove to anyone.

When we stop doing, it can feel uncomfortable. But as we learn to take care of the parts of us who feel the constant urge to do, we learn how to take better care of ourselves.

We discover that’s there’s so much more we can be.

And, we underpin our performance with sustainable (and unique) energy and vitality.

How might being more empower you to do less?

“Keep busy being something…as opposed to doing something. We are all sent here to bring more gratitude, more kindness, more forgiveness and more love into this world. That is too big a job to be accomplished by just a few.” Richard Nelson Bolles