I am sitting here at Panera, as I always do after I drop off my middle schooler and wait for my tennis class. I wrapped up the work I am doing on blogs, emails, and courses and headed out to my car. The shirt that I spent time to iron and put on a hanger (which I rarely do) was waiting for me, but my big, red tennis bag, with my shoes, racket, and clothes for work was NOT!
Sigh…
This morning I needed to get a big bag of dog food out of my car as my dog was impatiently awaiting his breakfast. I took my tennis bag out, but forgot I locked my car and didn’t have my keys. I sat my bag down, went back for my keys, carrying my freshly ironed shirt so it wouldn’t get dirty, went back to my car, hung the shirt, got the dog food, and went back in to get my kids ready.
An old me may have berated myself…there were many years of my life in which I was very hard on myself, especially when I “messed up.”
These days, with the help of great reading, counselors, and like-minded practitioners, I have learn how to be much more gentle and forgiving with myself.
I really was looking forward to playing tennis today, and even more so as I missed Tuesday as my energy was low, and my body, mind, soul needed to finish writing the post I need to get out to you. And my 50 year old body and brain, with her genetically slow metabolism, needs to keep active, mobile, and strong.
But, not today.
I just had to laugh, give myself grace, and acknowledge the busyness and challenges I have been enduring these past few weeks. A deaths and loss of a trusted relationship in my family. Tax deadlines. Conference proposal deadlines. Potential neighbors asking for an easement on my dad’s property. High school baseball games. Middle school soccer games. Spreading the work of hope and healing through my practice, course, mentorship, speaking and writing. Oh yes, the kids need to eat! So do the pets. So do I.
Grateful for the awareness I have developed in paying attention to the barometer of my body…I am prioritizing sleep, quiet time in prayer and meditation, and nutrition as I can. Deadlines will pass and life will enter a different pace of more rest and play as we enter summer.
I’ll get to tennis next week.
Are you doing too much? While we all have seasons in which the demands are greater, how are you supporting your body, mind, and soul when you are more taxed?
Need help? I am almost finished with updating my online courses which teach you the basics of how to learn about your body and best care for it for a lifetime. This along with the help of great coaching to help you implement, create habits, and make lifelong changes, are not only insurance for preventing future health disasters, but even more so lifelines for you to life a life full of energy, vitality, optimism, motivation, peace, and joy.
All my love,
Jen
PS…at least my shirt matches my skirt, can’t quite say the same for my shoes…oh well!
PPS…can you top this story? I’d love to hear it!
PPPS…more stories both written and spoke on my blog and website. Please let me know what you think, and please share widely!