Less Hustle November (Lessember?)

This November, this is my goal–to eliminate hurry. One thing we all have in common is that too often hustle and hurry rule our lives. There is always more to do, pieces to pick up we’ve dropped (and, as leaders, we also have the pieces that have been dropped that we are responsible for with our teams). With a home to run, things to do, a difference to make, hurrying and scurrying is everyday for me.

But hurry and hustle kills life.

They kill love.

And as usual, what good can I do if I can’t even love others?

Of course, I have a ton more to say on this, especially as I’ve lived burn-out from being so “on mission” before. So I hear you if you’ve been there or are there now.

Regardless, maybe some of you get the “hurry” thing too. You see hurry creeping into the way you tell your kids out the door, or run from activity to activity, project to project.

You don’t want to hustle and hurry to get in the way of a being fully alive too.

So, whether you’re a mom, a leader, or an advocate for some justice issue or another, join with me this November by ruthlessly eliminating hurry in your life too.

Do you need this too? If so, reply to this email with a simple “I am in” or you can even tell me more.

On Instagram all week I am talking about the ACTIONS I am taking to reduce hurry and hustle in my life–I’d love it if we chatted about it there too! (Tell me what you are doing!) 

Hurry Less With Nature

Body Relaxing Exercise

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Embracing #lesshustle and in this week of hurrying less, I wanted to take a snippet of time to remind you to remember that you have a body. You might have forgotten! Many of us busy mamas, justice-seekers and leaders forget to listen to the very thing we are enshelled in. Although I usually suck at compartmentalizing, I’m an expert at ignoring my body. When I almost died from pneumonia this summer, I was so concerned with making sure my sick kids were okay I didn’t notice I couldn’t breathe. I’ve managed three childbirths–none that went as planned and hurt like _____ (fill in the blank). Why? I can disassociate from pain well. But my wellness not only affects me, but everyone else around me who I lead, pour into and care for. If hurry keeps me from caring for my body, it is also keeping me from loving others long term. 💛🌏 Yes, you can change the world. But you need a body for that. Value it. I have to put certain checks in place to prioritize caring for my body. One exercise that is great in a day of hurry and hustle is to simply lay down for two minutes and relax it. 🌿Pay attention to areas of pain and how it feels. I usually try to start with unclenching my fists and relaxing my shoulders. (If you can’t do that, PLEASE pay attention! DM me! That is usually a sign you need a little more than this post provides.) I also usually intentionally breathe and pray. Stop for two minutes today, in the midst of your hurry, to try this out. Then tell me what you noticed! Also, if you can fill in the above blank about what childbirth feels like in the comments, that should be entertaining!😂 . . . #wellness #fullyalive #rest #hustle #lesshustling #breathedeep

A post shared by Elisa 🌍 Average Advocate | 🌺 (@averageadvocate) on

Taking Time Offline To Hustle Less

What we all want to do but often don’t do! One the best ways to eliminate hurry is getting offline for a day, am I right? Hustle can do easily be triggered by being online, seeing what everyone is doing (and often with it, where we are not).

This is why I have to be intentional taking time offline. By habit, I take at least a week once a year, and sometimes a few days here and there (usually on trips). But I’ve also been trying to get intentional with being off social media one day of the week, too. Between being a blogger who is actually trying to engage her readers, and with the way the social media algorithms work, taking a day off is a no-no. But I know for me to be fully alive, I need to be off it regularly and that is more important. Social media just affects me too much! It is a small sacrifice, with a lot of good, so I’ve built it into my routine.

For me, my offline day usually coincides with my day of rest, a “Sabbath,” something else I also practice (which in this season is either a Saturday or Sunday depending on the week).

Leadership Hack: Maybe this is cheating, but I can post Saturday morning and again Sunday evening, which is more than 24 hours where I am not picking up my phone! But it still helps me feel like I am present, having created a space for my people to connect with me. Honest evaluations really are key to eliminating hurry and hustle. If I feel that addiction in me, that is usually a sign I need a more extensive fast.

But right now, tell me what you do! Do you have any routines of taking time offline regularly? Or have you done a social media fast? Tell me your stuff!

Offline to eliminate hurry

To hurry and hustle less, removing yourself from social media can really help for extended periods of time. Here is a post to help you know how to do this and when:

6 Questions To Help World Changers Know When They Should & Shouldn’t Unplug