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The Fear Behind Your To-Do List
Busy isn’t the badge of honor you think it is
I used to wear “busy” like a badge of honor.
My calendar overflowed with back-to-back meetings, my inbox dinged nonstop, and every spare moment was swallowed by tasks. Friends would ask how I was doing, and I’d reply with a weary smile, “You know me, always busy.” It made me feel important, indispensable even.
But here’s the brutal truth: Being busy was just my favorite lie.
Deep down, I knew this constant hustle was a smokescreen. I was spinning my wheels, avoiding the real work — the kind that actually mattered to me. I told myself I didn’t have time to write, to create, to chase the dreams that kept me up at night. In reality, I was just scared to face what might happen if I actually went for it.
Busyness as a Distraction
Filling every minute with work became my escape route from confronting uncomfortable truths.
I’d spend hours tweaking a presentation that no one would remember next week or meticulously organizing my email folders. It felt productive, but it was all smoke and mirrors.
One Saturday afternoon, I had the house to myself — a golden opportunity to start outlining the novel I’d been mulling over for years…
