Purpose Over Pace: A Lesson in Stillness

Hey y’all, have you ever had one of those weekends where everything on your to-do list felt urgent but somehow none of it felt meaningful? That was me this weekend.

Between dance practice, two events, a spa appointment, errands, shopping, and a nail appointment I still hadn’t made, I was on the verge of shutting down completely. I had so much to do that I didn’t want to do anything at all. So, I called my mom.

She listened and then asked me a question that stopped me mid-rant: “Why do you do so much?”

Without thinking, I said, “Because I have so much to do.”

Then she asked, “But why do you have so much to do, and why are you struggling to be still?”

And that's when the shift happened.

I told her I don’t like to be still because stillness makes me feel stuck. In that moment, I realized that sometimes my movement isn’t progress. It’s chaos. If you’re like me, ambitious and driven, always chasing purpose, it’s easy to confuse motion with meaning. But motion without direction is just noise.

So, I paused. I decided to focus on what mattered most. I chose to attend the Intentional Women’s Award because I’m on the board, I gave my word, and I wanted to support my friends. Once I made that decision, everything else could wait. The world didn’t fall apart. My peace actually returned.

And maybe that’s the point.

Sometimes we do so much that doing something ends up feeling like nothing. We overextend, overcommit, and overlook the very moment that was meant to fill us.

If you’ve ever felt that way, I want to remind you: Being still doesn’t mean being stuck. Sometimes it means being present, right where you are, with what truly matters.

It reminds me of the story of Mary and Martha in the Bible. Martha was busy doing everything she thought needed to be done while Mary simply sat at Jesus’ feet and listened. And Jesus told her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is necessary." Luke 10:41–42 (NIV)

There are many things you could be doing, but only one thing, the right thing, is most important right now.

So this week, before you move, pause and ask yourself: 👉🏽 What’s most important right now? And once you know, give that thing your full attention. Everything else can wait.

Lighthouse Moment: Even the brightest lights need moments of stillness to recharge their glow.

Love & Light!

Ebony

P.S. If you're in ATL, we want to see you at SPARK. Register here!