This week has been an unusual one for me. My routine schedules have been thrown off completely; and while it’s good for me to get pulled from my habits (and therefore the comfort I find in structure, predictability, familiarity), it also tires me. Physically, mentally, and emotionally I have become more and more fatigued as the week has worn on.
Today, I faced a daunting number of tasks before me – and just not enough time to complete them all. So, what’s going to give? Am I going to sacrifice the things I want to do for the things I have to do? Or am I going to push myself too fast, too hard, and try to get everything done – but at the end of the day likely still fall a little short, and wind up irritated and exhausted? Or am I going to push some things down to the bottom of the list yet *again* – things I have wanted to address for a few weeks now, but things that technically “can” get moved to another day (so they do)? What’s today’s non-optimal choice going to be? Ugh. This morning I found myself trying to make those decisions, and ended up feeling sad, annoyed, and overwhelmed – and all before 6 am. Crap.
As I showered (and came to terms with all of the noise running around in my head) I realized that today I absolutely need yoga; so I did go to my Friday morning 8 am get-my-little-booty-handed-to-me vinyasa class – and it was terrific. Okay, I feel a little bit better.
Immediately following the class I drove to the grocery store (because buying food is a non-negotiable task; it simply must get done), and attempted to purchase the items on my list as quickly and efficiently as possible. As I was determinedly pushing my cart from aisle to aisle (only slowing slightly to grab items from shelves and toss them into the basket; never fully stopping once), I passed by this sign:
Ha, talk about a *sign*! I’ve said it before, and I’m confident I’ll say it again: There’s no such thing as coincidences. Message received. Thank you.
There are many more things I have on my to-do list for today: oil change, shopping for a dress/suit, studying, preparing for two big meetings at work next week, catching up on email, paying bills….too many things to do, none of which I really want to do, all of which will take more time to do than what I have…and again, I find myself in a similar spot as I was this morning. Only now, I have a reminder, a “mantra” to remind me to settle down, stay cool, relax. It will all be okay. It will all work out. It always does. Just do the best that I can – and then let go.
In other words, keep calm & carry on.
Stef
Smile, kiddo. 
Yes – a great saying to remember. I’m impressed that you took care of yourself with the yoga class. Fantastic! Hope you have a good couple of days of being productive and having a chance to breathe in between tasks.
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Thanks Carla. Even a few months ago I might not have chosen to take the yoga class, pushing my needs/wants/joys aside and dealing with ‘responsibilities’ first. Only recently have I really come to fully accept and embrace that *I* am a “responsibility”, too – that my joy/happiness/self-care should not come last, like some after-thought, but instead should be near the top of my list (if not at THE top of my list). 🙂 Now I’m trying to actually live that, in a balanced-yet-active way.
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Great find for a mantra.
(I would chop minimum half of those things from your list: “have to” has more subjectivity than it would seem. And add yoga instead! But that’s me. You’ll do what you do, and CALMLY YOU WILL CHOOSE WELL.)
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I did what I could, as calmly as I could – and I’m surprised at how much I actually *was* able to get done; and done in a relatively peaceful manner.
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excellent advice for sure! Isn’t it great that , even when you’re not necessarily paying attention, signs show up with just what you need at the moment.
blessings.
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It *is* great; and I’m very grateful for that! 🙂
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I love that sign and I agree with you- there’s no such thing as coincidence! It’s something that I’ve finally come to learn over the past few years.
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🙂 Thanks for the comment!
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Awesome, that the sign was right there. I also am one of those people who look for signs. I think yoga and meditation have a lot to do with seeing those signs. Not always, the signs are out there or evident. Lately, I have been struggling hard to find those signs and it doesn’t seem to get better :(. Oh, even though I am sad, I haven’t given up. 🙂 Thanks for sharing. Have a good one.
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Sometimes I find that if I’m “looking” for a sign, I don’t see any. It’s more when I just stay open to “whatever might be”, when I relax and let go and allow, that the best things ‘magically’ seem to come to me…. So when I find myself ‘effecting’, that’s my cue to myself to calm down, relax, be still, and just see what happens…
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