Monday
Mar282011
In My Own Time
March 28, 2011 
There are things that we should do that are good for us. Generally the idea is that those very good things, which I will admit are very good, should be done EVERY DAY. Good heavens! Every Day?
There is the general maintenance stuff. Get out of bed, brush your teeth, floss, eat five to ten fruits and vegetables, drink eight glasses of water, take a one a day vitamin, put on fresh socks, go to work, and so on and so on. These things are non-negotiable. They must be done in order to survive. Our lists are all slightly different, but you get the gist.
Then we must tend to our creative selves, we should write two to three pages in our morning journal from our stream of conscience mind before we are even conscious, photograph, paint, write, do whatever it is we do. But it is important to do it every day.
And on top of all this, we're supposed to move around and sit around. Yes the all important contradictions of exercise and rest. We have yoga, stretching (which is different from yoga because you're supposed to stretch every ten minutes - well, you know what? It would appear that I don't have time to stretch every ten minutes, dammit, I'm busy with the other stuff that I have to do every day!!!). (OKAY, breathe, stop, inhale, exhale). Ahem, better now. But I'm supposed to do that too, breathe, deep cleansing breaths as I sit in meditation. But then I'm supposed to huff great puffing breaths as I push my body to exercise my lungs and heart!
It's all too much! I can't do it. I am running myself ragged trying to do it all every day. I am daunted by the every day. I am not every day people.
I read somewhere that Moms who are fretting about their toddler's lack of nutrition should look at what the child consumes in a week, not in a day. Eureka! This sounds like a plan. I'm going to live the life of a toddler's nutritional intake. I am not going to be an every day person, I can't do everything I want to or am supposed to do every day. I'm going to do things in my own time. Once or twice a week. If I don't meditate today, I will do it tomorrow or the next day. If I don't count my fruit servings every day, I will watch them for the better part of the week. If I take a few pictures or write a few lines today and none tomorrow, it is all okay.
My new mantra: you've got 24 hours this week. I figure that's how much time I have when I'm awake and not working or doing the other general maintenance stuff. 24 hours a week. I can handle that.
xo
Kath
Reader Comments (19)
You have no idea how fun this is, Kath. I can hardly wait for Astrid to read it because we were just having a conversation over the weekend about the fact she has no time! No time to do what she wants/needs to do. My theory is we all do what we want to do. We gravitate to it at the expense of everything else. And then someone has to tell us we spend too much time doing this or that, and we have to try putting everything back into perspective again in order to do all the other things we also want/need to do.
HA! Talk about a rat race. 24 hours in one WEEK? I'll have to see if it stresses me out more or less. You know that retired people (like me) are less organized than when they worked full-time. Also, I remember a pediatrician once saying to NOT worry if my kids weren't eating their fruits or veggies. "When their bodies need them, they'll eat them!"
Hmmm. Everything in its own time may not be what we've been led to believe? I like that...and your image! :)
Quite the solution you have here, Kath. I love it ;-)
You made me laugh here with your list of 'daily musts'. It's so true - the things we 'should' do keep adding up...but - like Ginnie said - I think we all find time for the things we 'want'. The rest? Well...the rest can just wait.
Fun post!
The main task is to find a balance between what we must do and what we want to do, that is a daily 'struggle'. But... I think I am doing okay on that part. The balance is slowly getting into my system and I am getting the hang of it, maybe that is also a part of getting older... and I am learning more and more to figure out what is really a must, and what might not be so much of a must, but I make it to be... that also give me more time for the wants... am I making any sence here? :-)
All to often we beat ourselves up with the 'every day' kind of thinking. I love the week idea. Much more doable.
this was the perfect way for me to have my first cup of coffee. laughing. really laughing. you forgot to add in that while you're stretching, breathing, flossing, and standing/moving, you are thinking about email, groceries, and hair cuts!!!!
i raise my mug to you, kath, for the completion of your goals during this 24-hour-week. love the photo too! bravo.
i knew you would make me laugh. so true. and you left out talk to your sister for an hour every day. that eats up seven hours a week right there!! xoxo
Hey Kath, I so love that you"re not everyday people! I love this post! I love this image! I second and third Honey's bravo!!
Loved your vision. I try to just get the day in, without counting breathes. Every in and out is one more. I had a good laugh over your idea of twenty four hours a week. Ar ninety two I am grateful to be breathing let alone trying to do everything you mentioned. Life is too short. Have fun as you gho along. Love Mom
LOL. sounds to me like a real spring-is-in-the-air subject. I made a list today, of allllllll the things I want to do :-)
Hi Kath. Look forward to your offerings and usually don't comment but the piece made me recall something I read a long time ago from Geoffrey Vickers who wrote, Freedom in a Rocking Boat. Vickers had some perceptive insights worth reflecting on when trying to evaluate and navigate through life's challenges. He used the analogy of "the trap". A trap is a trap only for creatures which cannot solve the problems that it sets. The nature of the trap is a function of the nature of the trapped. Therefore, start with the trap, because it is more consciously familiar. The trapped tend to take their own state of mind for granted - which is partly why they are trapped. With the shape of the trap in your mind, you are better able to see the relevance of your limitations and to question those assumptions about yourself which are most inept to the activity and experience of being human now.
Have fun and don't overthink. xo
A
You are my every day people :-)(-:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SsXwpt0yxE&feature=related
Awww...can't we just eliminate all those 'should' dos and stick with the 'gotta' dos?
Ahh, I go for the weekly version! Sounds so much more doable. And I do it without fresh socks, just barefoot!
Coulda, woulda, shoulda - nah, who wants that!!! Wanna, wanna, wanna - yeah!! I definitely like your 24 hour week - it's definitely doable. I do think we tend to get bogged down in the coulda, woulda, shouldas, but we really should focus on what is really important. What that is, is different for every one.
i so like and appreciate your words!!!! very appropriate for me right now as i'm trying - after running like headless chicken for too long - to slow down and get some routine in my life, and mainly this is about being good to myself: eating right, doing pilates (had second class last night) and have committed to a pretty intensive 4 class a week routine (not a choice, have to for a bad back) and then i think about me-time, creative-time, time with james, with friends. piano practice, swahili practice!!!!!!!!!!!!! And i have no idea how to fit it all in. but...will just take a deep breath and remember i have a whole week for it all :)
This is a reminder that you need to get your daily fiber intake. And don't forget your calcium pill!
Oh, I love, love, love this idea. I never have enough time because I am always trying to do everything. What a wonderful way to think of it, 24 hours a week. Perfect. This seems much more possible than 24 a day.:)
i can't tell you how much, i appreciate your words.
and i am loving on this photo.
big smile
xoxo