I would like to combat an unspoken lie that so many of us believe - not that you'll change your thinking just because I say so, but hopefully, the more we hear the truth, the more it will sink in, the more it becomes a part of who we are, and the more our behavior changes. How do I know we all believe this lie you ask? Because of the way we behave. Our behavior, as with our speech, is a direct product of how we think and what we truly believe. The lie we all behave as if we believe as truth is that we are worth more when we are so busy we can't see straight. When we are multi-tasking, when our calendars are written on in every square, when we work, work, work and stay up late to finish our dishes and do our laundry, etc., etc. - why, we must be successful, acceptable people, right? Afterall, we're soooooooo busy! Now I'm not saying you shouldn't do your dishes or take care of your children or your house or any of those things. But when you are eating dinner real quick at your kitchen counter, starting to forget (or do ridiculously idiotic things), adding "take a shower" to your to do list - then you might be toooooo busy! Well, that's just how our society is, you might say - and I would have to agree - we are all rushing around like chickens with our heads cut off (on a side note, Grandma Gardner explained that saying to me once - not a pretty picture!) all the time. However, my concern here is with the underlying thought process that is happening to us in the meantime. Here's how to test my theory - sit down. Just sit on your couch for 15 minutes. I dare you. Don't have your ipad, your nook, your kindle or your phone in your hand. No knitting, crocheting or writing of lists. Turn your tv off. Don't make a mental list - just relax. Can you do it without feeling guilty or pressed that you're "wasting time" and should be "doing something"? In my opinion, many of us have unknowingly substituted quantity for quality of life - we all have quantity, that's for sure! But what are we sacrificing? Do you see your family? Do you spend time just with yourself? Do you even like to spend time with yourself? Do you realize you're worth rest, relaxation, and enjoying some time alone? I am firm believer and have said many times that I cannot pass on or give out (to my children in particular) that which I don't possess myself - if I don't exhibit peace of mind, they won't learn to achieve it; if I don't let them see me relaxing or valuing some alone time, they won't realize how important that is for our mental state of mind. I hear it all the time from people on my massage table - there's not enough time, I wish I could've gotten in here sooner, but there's so much to do. We've kinda become "human doings" not "human beings".
So today, I encourage you - don't shirk your responsibilities, but take a few moments for yourself and realize in those moments where you're just pondering thoughts or relaxing, you are just as valuable a person as when you're sweeping the floor while the dishwasher and washing machine are running while you're wearing your bluetooth so you can also schedule your appointments at the same time. Multi-tasking is ok, but don't feel guilty if every single moment your eyeballs are open isn't chocked full of activity.
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