⏳How I Stopped Rushing My Life

A few years ago, I had one of those existential crises, when you suddenly realize, oh wait… I’m not at all where I thought I’d be by now.

I remember waking up one morning with puffy eyes, already glued to my email inbox by 7 a.m, and thinking, how the hell did I end up here? Not in some deep sense...just… here. In this version of life that felt like it had slowly taken shape without me fully realizing it.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been a checklist girl. I love structure, plans, clarity. But the reality? I was trying to do way too much at once, especially in terms of career.

If you’ve ever worked in tech, you already know it’s like trying to sprint up an escalator that’s going down..... Everything changes all the time. It’s fast and it’s also exhausting.

At the same time, I wanted to create more content for my YouTube channel, and I wanted to write more, because deep down, writing is what I love the most. Then add in the fact that I also wanted to be present for my family and take care of everyone, and yeah… I was sprinting through life....

And I think what really hit me was, I wasn’t even sure where I was running to anymore.

Then one morning, it just… shifted. I was in bed, meditating (or honestly, just lying there trying to breathe and not open my phone), and something clicked. Just this little realization whispering in my head: I’ve been chasing too many things at once.

And that moment? That’s what started this whole unraveling.

Here’s the thing. I don’t know who invented the idea of being “behind in life,” but is frustrating sometimes or maybe, we all contributed to this you know...

But… behind what? Who decided there’s this invisible schedule we all need to follow?

I was comparing my path to other people's without even realizing it.

But here’s what hit me one randomly is that Life doesn’t reward you for rushing. If anything, it punishes you. You rush into jobs that burn you out, maybe others jump in relationships that drain you. But peace? Peace shows up when you stop sprinting.

And once I slowed down enough to actually notice my life, I realized something else that felt huge: Life isn’t linear.

One of the most freeing thoughts I’ve ever had was this: I’m allowed to be a work in progress forever in any domain, life, career, etc. Life it’s just us, moving, growing, spiraling a bit, and then getting up and try again. Okay… But what happens when you stop rushing?

Honestly? You start noticing life.

The little things, the way the sunlight hits your kitchen counter in the morning, the weird way your cat stares at nothing like she’s seeing spirits, the fact that your heart actually feels lighter when you’re not pressuring yourself to be everything, everywhere, all at once.

You also start attracting better things. When I let go of that constant “universe please give me a sign” type of attitude because I was there especially in the begining stages and just... relaxed into where I was, weirdly, things started falling into place. Like life had been sitting there with crossed arms, waiting for me to chill out so it could finally show me what’s next.

And look, I didn’t suddenly transform into this perfectly balanced human. But I did start doing a few things differently after this realization

So here’s the honest stuff that helped me get out of my own way:

• I started saying no more often. Especially to things that pretend to be “opportunities” but feel like soul drains. At work, I used to say yes to everything. I was the “sure, I’ll take that on”. Until I realized… I was stretching myself for things that weren’t even recognized. I’d cram 20 story points into a sprint, feel exhausted, and end the year with the same raise as the guy who logged off at 5 p.m. every day...I know how this sounds but I really wanted to be good at what I did...only to realize that this isn't actually what I really wanted. So yeah...I started saying NO...not in caps but no, I only take 10 story points now 🤣. Not because I stopped caring, but because I started caring about me, too. And when I hear CEOs that we shouldn't care about work life balance and all that...here is the thing... if you work for a corporation nobody cares about you as an individual that's the reality, if they will have to cut costs...they will do what is needed...so yes do your job well but don't overdo more than is necessary for something that you don't even own😊.

  
  

• I started writing things down. Especially when I was spiraling or overwhelmed. Something about putting thoughts on paper(virtual because I use google docs🤣) helps release the pressure, because it felt to me at least that I was releasing what didn't feel good.

• I began celebrating small wins. Not just the big “life changing” stuff. I mean the tiny things. Like waking up on time. When I cooked something delicious I would say "Thank you to myself 😊". Saying no without explaining myself for 30 minutes. That’s growth too.

I think the real turning point was understanding this: You’re not late. You’re not behind. Letting go of the timeline doesn’t mean giving up.It means loosening your grip. So if you’re feeling behind right now, or like you’re failing some invisible test: You’re not. You’re living, you’re learning and you will be just fine.

Take a breath and take your time.Ok?🍵