You are not behind

Yup, you read that right.

I currently have 162,771 unread emails (and counting).

And before you freak the ef out about this, please don’t.  None of them are from my mortgage company, my clients, my best friends, my mom, or - hopefully - you.

I used to feel like the queen of the world when I got my inbox down to zero.  But as I’ve grown more discerning, I’ve learned that my inbox says more about the systems around me than it does about me and my abilities.

Capitalism looooves to get our attention.  The system feeds off of us being distracted and overwhelmed.  And if we’re not careful, we repeat the frenzied pattern we see in our inbox all around us.

We fire off emails as quickly and thoughtlessly as we receive them.

We make dizzying to-do lists that leave us feeling like we’re constantly behind.

We create project plans and deadlines that are unrealistic and unkind to ourselves and those around us.

We move throughout our days like everything is on fire, but little (to nothing) is important enough to earn our fullest, deepest, slowest attention.

So when I see my unread email count growing and growing, I don’t see failure.  Instead, I see 162,771 times…

• I said no to distraction and urgency 

• I slowed the hell down

• I landed my attention on the things that I’m focused on practicing and growing through my leadership.

So next time you sneak a peek of your inbox, what will you choose to see?  I’d love to hear in the comments below.

In love and leadership,

Jen