When I was at the peak of my burnout in 2013, I went on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. Some days, I walked 20 km in the unrelenting heat. A few days, I walked 40 km. When I left Canada, my backpack weighted 13 kg. By the end of the pilgrimage, it weighed less than 5 kg. By necessity, I pared down my pack to just the essentials.
I met a soldier and fellow pilgrim from Germany whose backpack weighed an astounding 29 kg! He had camp gear, water canisters, rations…and like Mary Poppins, the bag kept emptying more and more.
I made it to Santiago after six weeks of slow and steady progress. He left after only one week.
I share this story to help you understand that you need much less than you are holding onto.
During the last two weeks, you thought about the things you loved to do. You created a keystone ritual to meet your foundational needs and you also created your own “play-list.” Neither the ritual nor the play list have to be extensive or fill your day. But just a little, done consistently, will help you reach your destination.
Question: What can you do to lighten your load? Share in the comments below!
