LIFE IS IN THE INTERRUPTIONS
Read time: 5 minutes
Welcome to My Musings, a (usually) weekly newsletter where I share what’s been impacting me lately, what I’ve been thinking about, and actionable ideas to help you navigate the career and life transitions that might be coming up for you.
Today: What if all those things that you saw as getting in the way of your life actually are your life?
Life Is in the Interruptions
You’ve carefully planned your day, with a to-do list designed to make you feel productive. But inevitably, life intervenes—an unexpected call, an urgent email, or a small crisis disrupts your plans.
Or - you have a vision for life. All these things to achieve and do. All these books to read, podcasts to listen to, movies to see, places to go, careers goals to reach. And then life gets in the way - kids; work; grocery shopping; exercise; STUFF.
You think, “If only I could eliminate these interruptions, I’d finally get to my real life.”
C.S. Lewis once wrote, "The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's 'own,' or 'real' life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life."
But what if those interruptions are your real life?
Life’s unpredictability is not a barrier to success—it is the path. The distractions and detours we face are part of the journey, and it’s on us to embrace them - instead of making them the issue.
The Myth of the "Real" Life
We often buy into the myth that our “real” life exists somewhere in the future — a place where it all works out - where we’ve completed every task, achieved every goal, or solved every problem. Life will really begin once we deal with the noise: work emails, family demands, and endless distractions.
This mindset creates a gap between the life we imagine and the life we’re actually living. This disconnection fosters frustration. We wait for life to start, missing out on the truth that it’s already happening.
The interruptions we encounter aren’t distractions from life—they are life. When we stop viewing these moments as obstacles and start seeing them as opportunities, we create a richer, more connected experience.
Embrace Interruptions as Opportunities
Think about a time when an unexpected interruption changed the course of your day. Maybe you were in the middle of a project when your child asked for help with their homework. At first, you felt annoyed. But afterward, perhaps you felt a moment of connection that made the interruption worth it.
When we surrender to interruptions instead of fighting them, we allow ourselves to engage more deeply in the present moment. The interruption is the cue to ask, “How is this part of my life and how can I accept it as that?”
Productivity vs. Presence
A lot of the time, we’re focused on getting things done. Or at least I am.
Since making the shift to coaching and facilitation full time, I often find myself trying to get more out of the day, write more, speak to more people, network more, produce more.
More. More. More.
But if the goal is to power through and check off my “to do” list for work (and life), I (and we risk) missing the moments that truly matter.
There’s a difference between being productive and being present. Productivity asks, “What did I get done today?” Presence asks, “What did I experience today?”
You can be productive and power through your day, but will you remember the journey? Will you feel fulfilled? Interruptions are opportunities to shift from mindless productivity to meaningful presence. This doesn’t mean abandoning structure altogether—it’s about creating space for the unexpected without seeing it as the enemy.
Finding Beauty in Imperfection
Ever stare at a masterpiece?
And I mean, really stare. For at least 10 minutes.
You get to notice a lot of flaws. A lot of things that seemingly don’t look like they belong. Like mistakes. Like interruptions.
The beauty is in those mistakes. The mistakes are what make the masterpiece.
Our chaotic schedules and daily detours are where beauty lies. We don’t become more fulfilled by eliminating interruptions; we become richer, more connected by embracing them as part of life’s natural rhythm.
Instead of resisting these imperfect moments, we can welcome them with curiosity. It’s in these interruptions that some of life’s most meaningful connections occur.
Instead of seeing each interruption as time stolen from us, what if we saw it as time given to us in a different form?
By changing our perspective, interruptions stop being annoyances. They become opportunities to grow, reflect, and connect. Life’s interruptions are not thefts; they are gifts. When we let go of the illusion of control, we free ourselves to experience the present fully.
Life Is Happening Now
At this point, you might be asking: well, this sounds great, but what can I do? I have way too many interruptions to even start thinking about how to change my mindset around this.
I get it.
But try this:
The next time an interruption frustrates you, pause. Remind yourself that this moment—no matter how inconvenient—is life happening in real-time. The task you were focused on is important, but so is the interruption.
Ask:
What is happening right now?
How does it feel to witness this interruption?
How can I allow the interruption to fill my field of focus?
What can I take away from this and apply to the next interruption?
Want to Dive Deeper?
I work with people and teams to confidently meet change at work and in life; to foster cultures of mentorship; and, to hone and develop soft skills to create better leaders. Through that work, folks uncover their deeper purpose, navigate challenging transitions, and answer the call to vocation.
If you’d like to explore what’s coming up for you, get in touch.
I hope this week’s edition has been helpful. See you next week.
