Tag: common ground

You Don’t Have to Do It All

June 10, 2025 / Derrick Hurst / 1 Comment

We live in a world that subtly, and not so subtly, says the same thing over and over:
You should be doing more.

Work more. Be more involved. Cook from scratch. Get ahead. Stay informed. Stay fit. Stay positive. Stay available.

And if you’re tired? That’s just proof you need better habits. Or a better planner. Or a better version of you.

But maybe that voice is wrong.

Because here’s the truth most of us need to hear on repeat: You don’t have to do it all.

You are not required to carry every need, fix every problem, attend every event, or please every person. Your worth is not measured by your output. And your value isn’t proven by your exhaustion.

The badge of burnout is not a badge of honor. It’s a warning sign. And maybe it’s time to pay attention.

So how do we live in a world of MORE without losing ourselves?

1. Drop the invisible expectations.

Whose standards are you living by? Take five minutes and list the expectations that weigh you down. Then cross out anything that’s not life-giving, sustainable, or aligned with your actual purpose or calling.

2. Choose your “yes” on purpose.

You can’t say yes to everything, so say yes to what matters most. Protect time for people and priorities that bring peace, not pressure.

3. Practice saying “not right now.”

You don’t have to say no forever but you can say not this season. Saying no to one thing is often the only way to say yes to what really counts. Every yes to one thing is a no to something else. Choose your yes carefully.

4. Rest without guilt.

Rest is not laziness. It’s resistance to the idea that your value is tied to your productivity. Take a nap. Read for fun. Watch the sunset. And don’t apologize for needing to take a break.

5. Accept help before you break.

You were never meant to carry everything alone. Ask for support. Say, “I can’t do this right now.” Let someone step in. That’s not weakness. It’s wisdom.

Doing less doesn’t mean you care less.
It just means you’re human, and you’re finally living like it.

So take a breath. Let something drop. Give yourself permission to be a person, not a machine.

You don’t have to do it all.

You just have to do the next right thing, with heart.

Grace over grind, every single time.

What If Success Isn’t the Goal?

June 5, 2025 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

We’re all running.
Maybe we’re chasing the next win.
Striving for the better job, the cleaner house, the bigger impact, the more impressive version of ourselves.

It’s exhausting and somehow never enough.

The world’s voice is loud: Do more. Be more. Prove your worth. Be perfect. And it’s easy to believe that if we’re not constantly climbing, we’re somehow falling behind.

But here’s question with which we need to wrestle: What if success isn’t actually the goal?

What if being present, grounded, kind, and faithful right where you are is enough? What if you’re not behind, you’re just looking at the wrong scoreboard?

Maybe we’ve confused success with significance.
Success chases numbers.
Significance shows up for people.
Success aims to be impressive.
Significance aims to be intentional.

And intentional living doesn’t always look flashy but it does last.

So how do we shift from chasing success to choosing significance?

1. Redefine your win.

Ask yourself: What really matters to me? If your life was a garden, what would you want to grow? Joy? Peace? Connection? Focus on growing that, not everything else.

2. Notice who you’re trying to impress.

Would your calendar, habits, or stress level look different if you weren’t trying to prove anything? Be honest, and then get brave enough to choose freedom over performance.

3. Embrace small, steady impact.

Raising kind kids. Listening well. Loving your neighbor. Leading with integrity. These don’t trend online, but they change lives in quiet but long lasting ways.

4. Resist the highlight reel.

Life isn’t a competition. Your pace, your progress, and your purpose don’t need to match anyone else’s. You’re allowed to grow slower if you’re growing deeper.

5. Celebrate quiet victories.

Did you rest instead of pushing through? Apologize instead of defending yourself? Choose presence over perfection? That’s success. Start naming it.

Maybe success isn’t something you chase.
Maybe it’s something you live on purpose, in love, at your own pace.

You’re not falling behind. You’re learning to walk forward in a world that only knows how to sprint.

And that, my friend, might be the most countercultural success of all.

Until next week, keep choosing what matters.
The scoreboard doesn’t define you. Your soul does.

The Lost Art of Showing Up

May 29, 2025 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

We used to just… show up.

To the game. The dinner. The awkward backyard birthday party. We brought a dish, stayed longer than we meant to, and lingered on front porches just because we could.

Now? We RSVP “maybe,” scroll past the invite, tell ourselves we’ll catch up sometime. We’re busy, tired, behind, and convinced we have nothing left to give.

But we’re losing something sacred.

There’s a quiet magic in just being there. Being physically, emotionally, and relationally present. Not with a perfect gift or polished words. Just with your presence. In a world that’s over-connected and under-committed, showing up is a radical act of love.

And maybe the people in your life don’t need a fixer, a genius, or a social media-worthy gesture. Maybe they just need you to show up.

So how do we reclaim this lost art?

1. Stop waiting for perfect conditions.

You’re never going to feel fully ready, rested, or caught up. Life rarely clears the runway. Show up anyway. Show up with your messy hair, tired eyes, and half-baked casserole. Your presence matters more than perfection.

2. Make it local, not epic.

You don’t need to fly across the country to prove you care. Text a neighbor to grab coffee. Walk across the street. Bring someone a plate of cookies just because. Community starts close to home.

3. Let it be awkward.

Not every connection feels natural at first. That’s okay. Real relationships take time, silence, and a little discomfort. Keep showing up until awkward becomes authentic.

4. Say yes to small things.

Not every moment needs to be a grand gesture. Say yes to the lunch invite. The volunteer spot. The walk around the block. Small presence plants deep roots.

5. Check in, for real.

A 30-second “Hey, just thinking about you. How’s your week?” text can change someone’s day. Don’t underestimate the power of a simple nudge that says, You matter. I see you.

We don’t have to be everywhere. But we can be somewhere. Fully. Intentionally. Present. One philosophy I’ve tried to live for years is to do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.

We’ll never be able to be all things to all people. We can’t help everyone. But what if you can make a difference for one person. Start there and see where it goes.

Because sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for your family, your community, your world is to simply show up and stay.

You don’t have to fix the world.

Just be in it, with love.

So keep finding common ground, one small act of presence at a time.

Why We’re All Tired (and What to Do About It)

May 22, 2025 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

Over the next 8 weeks we’re going to pause on Thursdays for what I’m calling a Common Ground Project. It’s a reflection on what we have in common in life. This week it’s exhaustion. Yeah, you’re not alone. It’s not just you.

You’re not imagining it. You’re not weak. And you’re definitely not the only one who wakes up more exhausted than when you went to bed, even if you technically “slept.” Something deeper is going on, and everyone feels it.

Sure, life is full. But this is more than busy. This is like a soul-tired kind of feeling. Deep in your core you’re just exhausted.

We’re trying to carry everything from work stress, to endless news cycles, to aging parents, to demanding schedules, to that invisible weight of trying to be okay for everyone else. Even our “free time” feels like another item on the to-do list. And somehow, we still think the answer is to do more, be more, hustle more.

But what if the answer is actually less? What if less is more?

Here’s the truth: We weren’t made to live like machines. Constant output, zero margin, endless comparison. We were made for rhythm. That ebb and flow, work and rest, noise and silence. But somewhere along the way, we replaced rest with scrolling, and silence with streaming.

So what do we do?

It’s actually far easier than we might think. So for starters don’t overcomplicate it. Here are four small but powerful ways to start fighting your soul-tiredness today:

1. Name It

Take 10 minutes. Just you and a notebook and your favorite pen, and ask yourself: What’s actually wearing me out right now? Is it physical? Emotional? Mental? Relational? You see getting honest about the source helps you stop blaming the wrong things. And when we stop blaming the wrong things we’re able to tackle the right ones.

2. Build Micro-Margins

You might not be able to take a two-week sabbatical, but you can create 15-minute moments of calm. A walk without your phone. A slow cup of coffee. Sitting in the car in silence before going inside. Don’t underestimate the restoration that can come from tiny moments of peace.

3. Let Something Go

Not everything needs to get done today. Seriously. Choose one thing this week you can stop doing. Maybe it’s a social obligation, a load of laundry, a screen time habit, and simply trade it for breathing room. Rest takes intention. It’s a choice, not an accident. You can accidentally fall asleep but you can’t accidentally rest.

4. Ask for Help

You don’t get extra points for doing life alone. Tell someone what you’re feeling. Ask a friend to take your kids for an hour. Let your partner know you’re running on empty. Community doesn’t fix everything, but it keeps you from falling apart alone. Remember even the Lone Ranger had his trusty friend Tonto by his side.

Here’s the good news: This tired doesn’t have to be forever. You can rebuild rest into your life. No, not the kind of rest that’s just sleep (though that matters too), but the kind that lets your soul exhale. The kind that reminds you that you’re human, not a machine.

You’re not broken for being tired. You’re just human. And being human means learning how to live at a livable pace again.

So maybe today, you don’t need to push harder.

Maybe you just need to breathe.

Tag: common ground

You Don’t Have to Do It All