Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Are you too busy?

Hi all,

How's everyone doing today?  First of all, let me say, "Happy Hump Day." 

There was a post on FB this morning that caught my attention.  So, let me ask you, "Are you too busy?"  Now, you may be asking, "Am I too busy for what?"

Well, the answer to that is, anything?  Do you clutter your days, weeks and months with unneeded chores, activities, running around and staying busy just because you feel you need to?  I'm sure that many of you, if you're truthful, will answer that question with an affirmative answer. 

I definitely used to be just like that.  Oh, don't get me wrong, I was a very busy woman.  I worked a full time job, had three daughters to raise, a huge house to keep clean, meals to cook, laundry to do.  I also had a Brownie Girl Scout Troop, and I was on the school board.  I socialized with my friends as often as time allowed.  But, I was constantly running around.  I was always busy doing something.

After some counseling, what I discovered was that I made my life that way because if I stayed busy all the time, I didn't have to deal with all the unpleasant things that were going on in my life.  When my counsellor first pointed that out to me, I was in denial.  As time went by, I realized that she was correct. 

It was very hard for me to slow down and take some time for myself.  Time to think about everything that was going on in my life, to think about all the things that were occurring in my marriage.  I truly believed that acknowledging them wouldn't really help.  Of course, that's just ridiculous!

If you keep yourself overly busy, perhaps you need to stop and try to figure out just why you do that.  What are the truly important things in your life?  Mine would be:  my husband, my immediate family, my love for God and my spiritual soul.  All the rest of the things that go on around me, are just that:  things!  Oh sure, we need to go to work to earn the money to pay our bills.  So, that's important, but it's not worth obsessing over.  And, it's certainly not worth becoming anxious and unnerved about. 
If your job is hectic and stressful (which many jobs are), when you leave your place of employment for the day, leave the stress and anxiety there!  Don't bring it home with you.  It's not fair to you, your family or anyone else.  Your employer doesn't pay you when you're on your own time.  Don't give them that power!

If you volunteer to help, every time someone asks you to, stop it!  Don't let another person put a guilt trip on you when you know you either don't want to do something, or you already have enough to do.  If it's a friend and they get upset with you, give them a day or two and it will pass (if they really are your friend). 

I know it's especially hard for women to make time for themselves.  But, you simply have to do just that.  We all make time to do something that some one else wants us to do, but do we make time, daily,  to spend ten minutes talking with God? 

So today, let me ask you to slow down.  Eliminate some of the activities that line your schedule for the next ten days.  If there's something that you can get out of doing, call and free up that time for yourself.  Believe me, it will feel strange to you, but go for it anyways.  It's healthy and definitely will improve your disposition.  Best of luck to you.  Do it for yourself.  After all, how much help will you be to your children, husband, friends, school, work place, etc., if you're hospitalized or if you pass away from a heart attack?

Have a carefree day!
Susan


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