Have any of you ever felt anxious about a schedule that you created? Or found yourself rushing around with a sense of emergency thinking when nothing was even extremely pressing? That sounds like the self-imposed rush, also known as the hustle for worthiness! We often fall into this phenomenon when we are trying to keep up with the lives of others whether through facebook, Instagram & other social media platforms which becomes competitive that anxiety tells us we have to get it all done now. So, what exactly happens to us? 
Here is a Rundown
A) We spend a large portion of our day obsessing about how to keep up with others and get validation through achievements (Hence the hustling for worthiness).
B) This becomes overwhelming so we check out/numb our feelings with (food, social media, video games, alcohol, sex, etc).
C) We realize we are doing this & fall into self-pity and shame.
D) We come to our senses and immediately start to rush around again to make up for ‘lost time’ or try to catch up to others on this imaginary scoreboard because everything feels like an emergency (that no one else is competing on– but they were, we would be losing!).
Rinse, Wash, Repeat
The Self Imposed Rush is also categorized by feelings of being frazzled & frantic even though WE are the ones dictating the timeline. That sounds self-sabotaging & chaotic, right? So, if we know this, why do we do it? Well, unfortunately, our culture celebrates and encourages workaholism which makes those to take time for themselves & those who have a slower-paced life seem lazy and productive. Some of us have also become negatively addicted to chaos and emergency thinking and anything that isn’t a million miles an hour feels boring/lacking purpose.
So who is the most susceptible to the self-imposed rush?
Two main kinds of people: 1) People Pleasers; Those who struggle with setting efficient boundaries & say NO when their plate is overloaded and 2) Those who struggle with time management and cannot prioritize high demand tasks vs. things that can be done anytime. Does either of these sound like you?
When we are engaging in this behavior, we often feel powerless to stop it. This is where therapy comes in. If you need help creating a more manageable life or being more mindful on a daily basis instead of falling into the Self Imposed Rush, please call 201-488-6678 or visit Specialized Therapy
