Life Is A Balancing Act
Hi Friends,
Fall is FULL ON for me in the Berkshires. Crisp air. Colorful foliage. Later sunrises. Animals enjoying new toys.
Last week, I had tea with my dear friend, Lara. As we sat outside, soaking up the gorgeous day--and her magnificent view—we both shared thoughts about how crazy busy post-pandemic life feels.
Lara said that she felt as if they were incrementally slipping back into that well-worn groove of running on the treadmill in a state of blind hurriedness. Our old samskara. It nearly seemed that this karmic tendency influencing our lives was lifted after a year and a half of COVID during which we were allowed--possibly forced--to pause; to do things differently; to find new paths. COVID rules: we had few other choices
In yoga and as in life, having the ability to choose is having power.
And while it is great to be able to be out and get back to so many things, having CHOICE about what we say "yes" to; about how much we pile back in our schedules; may well be another silver lining of this whole pandemic.
Upon closer examination, it is not only about what we choose to do, but as importantly, what we choose to "stop" doing.
I am encouraged when people tell me that their office is staying with the flex schedule or people who have moved out of cities and can continue to telecommute and be just, if not more productive, as they were before.
Closer to home, my treadmill of busy has been in high gear since school started. With three children doing at least one activity that is a 3-5 day/week commitment, it’s no wonder that I feel overstretched and out of time when I’m supposed to be dropping off at soccer at the same time as the theatre, and picking another one up from X-country.
Plus, I said yes to a foster dog in need.
Our life is the sum total of the choices we make.
Still, I have to find balance by building into my schedule TIME and SPACE-- two things that I always lack, both in my constitution and daily activities.
Hey, at least I know myself. ;)
So while Lara and I were saying how busy things were, I reminded myself that we did carve out this hour to be together, and we also were planning an upcoming girls' trip--a two-day getaway.
Looking forward to that!
Do you feel like you are back on a busy treadmill? Is your plate too full? Are you taking on too much?
Or are you struggling with the opposite pattern and have too much time on your hands?
How can you build more balance into your day, week, month, season?
Let's focus this week on finding balance on the mat to master it off the mat.
With so much love,
Kari