Tell me if this sounds familiar…
You have a big holiday or an event coming, and you focus all your energy on it. You tell yourself once it’s over, then you’ll tend to everything else in your life. Right?
Well, from the perspective of a mom who wanted to soak up every moment of her kids being home, I saw this Friday after Thanksgiving as a catch-all day.
I imagined sitting for a long time, journaling, reflecting, looking at the pictures and smiling with my heart. I imagined putting up Christmas lights and decorations, and catching up with work. (Yup, time stretches into eternity in our imaginations LOL…
Obviously, I did not look at each activity carefully and realistically, or plan accordingly.)
Friday morning came and, after I saw my oldest son leave, I sat down, journaled, reflected, and looked at the pictures we took. I smiled with my heart and cried a bucket of tears of pure joy, gratitude, and honor.
I felt incredibly blessed. Our day was beautiful. This year I didn’t get to buy a new serving dish or a pair of really nice taper candles (it’s my little tradition) – and everything was a little bit old, chipped, used, loved, and just perfect.
We had beautiful, deep conversations, and we laughed as we shared our ‘funniest thing that happened since last Thanksgiving.’
I just wanted to sit with all of it and enjoy the feeling just a little longer.
And then it was 4 pm.
I remembered all the stuff I put off till “after Thanksgiving because I really wanted to focus on being present with the kids.” I looked at my list and got my planner out.
I looked at the dates twice…
It turned out that somehow I missed a whole week LOL… December 1st shouldn’t be happening this coming Wednesday!
Tell me if this sounds familiar…
You have a big holiday or an event coming, and you focus all your energy on it. You tell yourself once it’s over, then you’ll tend to everything else in your life. Right?
Well, from the perspective of a mom who wanted to soak up every moment of her kids being home, I saw this Friday after Thanksgiving as a catch-all day.
I imagined sitting for a long time, journaling, reflecting, looking at the pictures and smiling with my heart. I imagined putting up Christmas lights and decorations, and catching up with work. (Yup, time stretches into eternity in our imaginations LOL…
Obviously, I did not look at each activity carefully and realistically, or plan accordingly.)
Friday morning came and, after I saw my oldest son leave, I sat down, journaled, reflected, and looked at the pictures we took. I smiled with my heart and cried a bucket of tears of pure joy, gratitude, and honor.
I felt incredibly blessed. Our day was beautiful. This year I didn’t get to buy a new serving dish or a pair of really nice taper candles (it’s my little tradition) – and everything was a little bit old, chipped, used, loved, and just perfect.
We had beautiful, deep conversations, and we laughed as we shared our ‘funniest thing that happened since last Thanksgiving.’
I just wanted to sit with all of it and enjoy the feeling just a little longer.
And then it was 4 pm.
I remembered all the stuff I put off till “after Thanksgiving because I really wanted to focus on being present with the kids.” I looked at my list and got my planner out.
I looked at the dates twice…
It turned out that somehow I missed a whole week LOL… December 1st shouldn’t be happening this coming Wednesday!
I took a deep breath and chuckled. I took Luna for a walk and decided to take a cup of coffee to my friend, who was working at a clothing boutique.
In the past, I’d panic, start working, get really stressed out, snap at the kids, family, strangers, the whole world… I wouldn’t allow myself to even think of coffee and friends. I’d get into high gear and stay wound up till I got everything done – like ‘after the holidays.’
Of course, this was never the case, because after the Christmas season is over, a new year would start and I’d hit the ground running so that “I didn’t fall behind.”
And in this motion, I’d always carry the stress, feelings of overwhelm, and a sense of urgency to outpace (or at least catch up with) my to-do lists, my projects, and piles of work that always keep growing.
And not because I wanted to – I knew I didn’t like to function that way – but because I didn’t have the tools to do anything differently.
And even with the tools I had, I wasn’t able to do much about it on my own (even though I tried). I needed support to actually be able to use my tools and to switch out the stress for calmness and racing for presence.
Once I found a support system and began to practice using tools like meditation and mindfulness, everything changed.
Sure, I still have lists and piles of work and exciting projects to finish. But I don’t feel overwhelmed by any of it.
Yes, I’m still missing a week (LOL), but I laugh about it. I don’t get angry at myself for not planning better.
I find joy in pausing and making space that brings me peace and a sense of connectedness, which then helps my mind to get clearer and more focused when I get to work.
Life still brings aches and pains and events that aren’t pleasant. But it’s easier to respond to them – and manage them – when we feel grounded and present.
And by being present and more mindful, we’ll notice an abundance of synchronicities and miracles, reminding us we are supported by grace and love, and that we don’t have to worry and get overwhelmed.
The best part of experiencing this is that I now get to provide support to others. I do this through music, coaching, workshops, retreats, my weekly blog, and online programs.
I took a deep breath and chuckled. I took Luna for a walk and decided to take a cup of coffee to my friend, who was working at a clothing boutique.
In the past, I’d panic, start working, get really stressed out, snap at the kids, family, strangers, the whole world… I wouldn’t allow myself to even think of coffee and friends. I’d get into high gear and stay wound up till I got everything done – like ‘after the holidays.’
Of course, this was never the case, because after the Christmas season is over, a new year would start and I’d hit the ground running so that “I didn’t fall behind.”
And in this motion, I’d always carry the stress, feelings of overwhelm, and a sense of urgency to outpace (or at least catch up with) my to-do lists, my projects, and piles of work that always keep growing.
And not because I wanted to – I knew I didn’t like to function that way – but because I didn’t have the tools to do anything differently.
And even with the tools I had, I wasn’t able to do much about it on my own (even though I tried). I needed support to actually be able to use my tools and to switch out the stress for calmness and racing for presence.
Once I found a support system and began to practice using tools like meditation and mindfulness, everything changed.
Sure, I still have lists and piles of work and exciting projects to finish. But I don’t feel overwhelmed by any of it.
Yes, I’m still missing a week (LOL), but I laugh about it. I don’t get angry at myself for not planning better.
I find joy in pausing and making space that brings me peace and a sense of connectedness, which then helps my mind to get clearer and more focused when I get to work.
Life still brings aches and pains and events that aren’t pleasant. But it’s easier to respond to them – and manage them – when we feel grounded and present.
And by being present and more mindful, we’ll notice an abundance of synchronicities and miracles, reminding us we are supported by grace and love, and that we don’t have to worry and get overwhelmed.
The best part of experiencing this is that I now get to provide support to others. I do this through music, coaching, workshops, retreats, my weekly blog, and online programs.
Music
Remember my song about the chaos of the Holidays and the desire to ‘just believe’? It’s a really good one!
Remember my song about the chaos of the Holidays and the desire to ‘just believe’? It’s a really good one!
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Let music+story+coaching help you figure out
AND live your dream life.
Get weekly emails, exclusive content. special offers and
event updates directly to your inbox.