Do you get that feeling in the pit of your stomach every time you see someone succeed? It might be  jealousy, but more than likely it is related more to insecurity—that feeling that you should be further along in your own journey.

It seemed like everywhere I turned, I was being told to hustle harder, get there faster, and do more because that was the only way to succeed. But the harder I worked the less fulfilling everything felt, and I wasn’t making any progress. I knew I needed to stop the hustle, but I wasn’t sure how. Then I read Lara Casey’s book Cultivate: A Grace-Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life.

“I was tired of living in a state of lack—lack of time, lack of peace, lack of confidence, and lack of meaningful connections with people.”

In a world where we are pushed to be over-night successes (very unrealistic), Casey encourages us to cultivate our lives, taking it slowly, savoring the journey, and enjoying the moment. Instead of anticipating the next step, we should linger in our current season, soaking it up.

This doesn’t mean we do nothing, but it does mean we alter our perspectives and change our mindsets. We show up, we do the work, but we trust God for the results. And then we enjoy the journey as it unfolds.

Casey uses her personal story to walk the reader through the process of preparing the garden, digging in, and savoring the fruit. This is a process that takes time and requires patience—both of which are not promoted in our hustle-hard society. And yet they are what we really need to feel fulfilled in our day-to-day lives.

By stating the lies we’ve been told and confronting them with Truth, Casey demonstrates how fulfillment will come not from the worldly success we are told to chase, but from resting in the calling God has placed on our lives.

“Harvesting means noticing the fruit that God has grown in your life and doing something with it. But if you are rushed, or are constantly distracted by what isn’t growing, you’ll miss it.”

Honestly, this short blog post cannot do justice to this book. If you are looking for some direction for enjoying your life instead of constantly pushing for what is next, read this book. Because I read this book, my word of the year is Cultivate. I wanted the constant reminder so I wouldn’t fall back into my hustling ways.