Without a doubt we live in a fast-paced, crazy-busy world today. The word casual is rarely used to describe life – except for how we dress. Occasionally, my wife will invite me to attend a work-related function with her, and I will ask how I should dress; the reply usually comes back, “casual.”
I often wonder where a phrase like this has gone: “Let’s go for a casual walk.” Now we go for power walks, trying to burn as many calories in as short a time as possible. Or what about having “a casual conversation,” rather than competing with each other to tell as much as we can about ourselves (or our kids or grandkids) in a short time because we have a schedule to keep. Then there’s the long-gone “casual meal,” instead of a meal sandwiched between arriving late and hurrying to leave for the next thing.
How often do we hear or use words like unplanned, spontaneous, of-the-cuff, unintentional or unexpected? These are all synonyms of the word casual. Yet these words sound negative, or are rarely used in our society today. At one time these words reflected a calmer, slower pace of life.
Is casual living gone for good or can we recapture it?
I believe it can be recaptured if we are willing to make some adjustments.
Be intentional about making your life casual. Don’t wait for life to slow down; it never will. You must decide that you want to do more than dress casually. You also also must want casual to be how you approach relationships in your life. Not casual in the sense of nonchalant or uncaring, but casual in the sense of unhurried.
This is not to deny that you have deadlines to meet and a schedule to keep. Rather it is meant to help you control your schedule rather than allowing your schedule to control you. Certainly, you will have seasons of busyness; we all do. But it should be just that: a season not a way of life.
Prioritize the relationships and responsibilities in your life. My order of priority is God, self, family, work. Everything about my life is centered in God. What are your priorities? If you want to know what your priorities look like, look at where you focus the best and most of your resources. Now ask yourself: Is this the way I want my life to be prioritized? Remember that sometimes you must say ‘no’ to good things too.
It starts with your calendar. You must get in the habit of taking control of your time before others take control of it for you. You have the power to decide how busy your life will be. At the start of the week or the end of the previous week, take the time to plan how you want to spend your time. Although life gets a bit crazy-busy at times, that should be the exception.
The casual, unhurried lifestyle may seem like a thing of the past. I want to say it is not.
As you practice living intentionally, set your priorities right and take control of your time, you will discover that the casual, unhurried life is still possible even in a crazy-busy world. Please let me know how living the casual life is going for you by sharing your successes and challenges on our Facebook page.
Call us at 208-880-0307 or email us at errol@errolcarrim.com to schedule acomplimentary coaching session. To read Errol’s other posts, such as Becoming a Wounded Healer or Being the Best You can be for Others, visit Christ-Centered Life Coaching.