Such calmness,
Groundedness,
Beauty,
Standing tall and mighty.
The sense of peace in your presence—
Protected,
Safe,
A patient teacher.
No rah-rah, motivational fluff.
Quiet, yet confident,
Not rushing,
Not chasing,
Not running around striving.
Still, grounded, present.

In a world where people tell me I need to take big financial risks to be fulfilled, I say bullsh*t.

My inner fulfillment is felt when still, calm, and trusting that this simple life I cherish is the most fulfilling of all. Connected to humans, connected to nature, connected to life.

Our striving for the societal definitions of success is killing our minds, bodies, and souls.

If today was my last day—and who’s to say it won’t be … we never know—if today is my last day, may I live the life my soul craves so deeply.

The simple life. Grounded. Present. Here with you. Connected.

No rah-rah. No loud chants. Peace. Peace around, peace within.

May you find what you are seeking—and let go of the pressure to chase what was never going to provide you with what you are truly craving.

What would a fulfilling life mean to you? How may you maximize your life by minimizing the noise of external pressures that are leading you astray?

I do my best thinking in the quiet, calmness of nature—with space to breathe and observe the beauty of the world around us. I perform best when I have time to think, process, and move at ease with intention. For years, I pushed myself to move faster—with an urgency that was getting me places faster—only to realize I was missing the opportunity to enjoy the journey and the destinations were not where I wanted to be.

I received an email this week with the subject: URGENT.

Only to quickly realize the task inside was not URGENT.

How often are we operating with a false sense of urgency—increasing our stress unnecessarily?

While I completed the task asked, I felt like an enabler. “This task is NOT urgent,” I thought. And claiming that it is—asking people to prioritize whatever agenda was contained in the email by creating such a heightened sense of importance—is disrespectful.

What’s urgent to me is releasing ourselves from the false sense of urgency that is making us move so quickly in the directions that take us further and further away from what truly matters in life.

Pause. Audit. Pivot.

A continuous process along this journey we call life.

What’s urgent for me is slowing down and appreciating life at a pace that allows me to be present for it.

How does a false sense of urgency impact you? What is truly urgent in your life?

Jillian Rigert is an oral medicine specialist and radiation oncology research fellow.