Life is a balancing act, isn't it? Trying to find balance between work and play, solitude and being with others, quiet times and busy times. I've been working hard to find such a balance now-a-days.
My last holiday showed me how refreshing it is to have down times - times away from responsibilities, times to spend in a book or just quietly reflecting. I remember how depressed I was for so long, how hard it was to get motivated. Today I feel very motivated. I've once more got lots of irons in the fire. But I want to stay motivated and not become overwhelmed with it all. I want to make sure I take lots of down times to keep myself fresh as well.
As you know, I get up very early in the morning, so I do have some valuable down times then. Time to spend with my Bible and in prayer. Time to remember what's important to me and what I most need to spend my time doing.
My mental health work, especially Living Room, takes up most of my time and energy. This is what's most important to me. It's what I believe God made me to do. I also have a 95-year-old mother who needs my attention on a regular basis. I need to spend time with my husband. Then there's the household. And there are my friends. And my reading, so important for my growth. ...and then there's my blogging, something that I've unfortunately had to slow down on considerably.
I want to keep the refreshed feeling I had following my last holiday. This means that I will have to be careful not to get too busy and to keep some time for myself.
The last two weeks were very busy. To make up for it I'm trying to keep this week quiet. I need to do some creative work, something I had promised myself to make time for. I want to print some of the photos I took on our holiday. I also want to turn some of those photos into drawings. They might become Christmas presents. Christmas??? Uggh! Hate the thought.
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2 comments:
Dear Marja,
I think that realizing you need to pace yourself is half the battle. Even if there's work you have been called upon to do, if you're ill you won't be able to do it.
This year I've finally realized how important it is to relax when I need to. Of course, now that gardening is my new hobby, it's much easier for me.
But, I find when I spend a few hours digging in the dirt, I feel so much better. And when I make time for photography and music I do as well.
Maybe, it's because they are right-brained activities. Maybe it's because I enjoy them so thoroughly and feel no stress when I'm doing them.
Susan
Hi Susan,
Yes, I think it's the not feeling stress that's the trick. Finding things to do that totally take us away from the things that burden us.
Of course, sometimes an activity will stress us out while on another occasion that same activity won't do that to us. Guess it's the amount of pressure we put on ourselves.
marja
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