Busy vs. Productive

I pulled the Knight of Swords for February which seemed pretty perfect as we spent a huge part of the month with Mercury Retrograde. You may have found yourself chomping at the bit to get things done or being super busy but not feeling like you're getting much accomplished. It’s funny how this happens, so I want to talk about being busy vs productive.

In the positive expression, The Knight of Swords, like all the knights, is about taking action based on our ideas and learning by doing. Even at his best, he can be in his head, impetuous and impatient. But he’s also pretty fearless and courageous. In the negative, he speaks to the energy that shows up when we push ourselves without being fully aligned with what we’re creating.

Here are a few examples:

• You want to share your creative work, but you’re really uncomfortable with “being seen”.
• You’ve written a book and want to publish it, but are extremely fearful of what others might think.
• You need to make changes with your business, but are uncertain about making the financial investment.

When we get into uncomfortable spaces of resistance, we find all kinds of ways to keep ourselves busy when there might be one big (scary) action that would actually be productive. Our egos can be sneaky, so here are a few signs that you might be on the hamster wheel instead of on the path to your desires.

• Are you in constant preparation mode - never feeling ready?
• Are you stuck in research mode hoping to plan out every possible step so that you won’t feel uncomfortable as you take your steps?
• Are you overwhelmed and telling yourself you can’t do something because the website isn’t ready, the class isn’t complete, or you’re waiting to hear back from someone?
• Are you creating a lot of drama in your life that keeps you from having any time?

These are tricks that the mind plays and they create tension. They are symptoms of resistance and you probably have one or two that are your go-to defaults because the ego doesn’t like change. It likes things to stay in the nice comfy zone of sameness. That’s its job.

When these things happen our creative energy builds up and has nowhere to go. We’ll either get busy for the sake of being busy or we’ll get frustrated and stubbornly keep beating our heads against a gate that won’t open. It can create a lot of impatience, frustration, tension, and snippy-ness.

From an inner perspective, clearing work can be hugely beneficial in removing the blocks that cause fears and anxieties to hamper our progress. It can open the door for huge transformation.

We also need action at this point. It’s time to DO something. It could be a big leap action, but it also might be something small. You’ll know what that right action is because it’s the one you’re afraid of and the one you’ve been avoiding.

The creative energy you’ve activated via your ideas and visions needs to go somewhere. You’ve taken it this far, and now it’s time to take some action to align with it vibrationally. The longer you sit on the fence, the more uncomfortable it will be. And it’s possible to do this for a long time. People do it, a LOT. This is the place where creative souls get stuck and stop because it’s uncomfortable, but it’s part of the creative process.

It could be making a phone call, picking up a paint brush for the first time or sending out the manuscript.  Even if it’s a small action, if it’s been keeping you stuck and you (gulp) just do it, you will see a difference. You may have to take several actions too. Call up that warrior energy of the Knight of Swords and let it help you gather up your courage and go for it!

Here’s to creating big productive shifts in your life. xo