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| flickr photo courtesy of craigCloutier |
I have to admit that I hear it a lot in passing from others, A LOT. And it really makes me wonder about the state of things in general.
Let's face it. Life's not easy. We live in a 24/7/365 society - a big part of the problem, I think. When do people ever stop, and enjoy what they work so hard for? With work schedules, kid's school schedules and activities, personal commitments, it's no wonder that people feel overwhelmed and want "the weekend" to arrive.
But, do most people stop to even enjoy the weekend? Most often, not.
In our culture especially, we value our work, even define ourselves by it. It takes up much of our days, and for some of us, our evenings. And our weekends.
Being busy is looked at as a good thing in our culture. If you're not, you're a loser. What kind of life is that? Who started this?
Being a pet sitter, I can attest to working long hours and getting a little absorbed; my workday begins at 6:00am at times, and in some cases I don't get home until late at night. It's part of the deal, and that's okay with me. I do steal spare moments during the day and get home to unplug, be a pet mama, do whatever. And, I'm lucky - I love what I do.
But, does that mean that I live, eat and breathe what I do? Hell no. No one should. I make a point to set limits. After all, I'm a human being who wears a lot of hats.
You can relate, right?
Frequently, my priorities need to shift (in fact, they do daily) and I need to be open and flexible. Being stuck in one mode or the other is detrimental.
Life calls for being malleable. When you're not, what happens?
You start wishing for Friday. For Saturday. You wish your life away. But, guess what? You don't get those weeks, days or moments back. Ever. And then you start wishing that you hadn't let some things or opportunities pass by.
Friday isn't usually better than any other day. It's just another day on the calendar. Everyday, every moment - can be like Friday. Friday is a state of mind.
At least once a week, I say to one friend in particular, "What kind of magic are you going to make today?"
And she gets it. She knows that every moment counts and that there are hidden treasures in them - even the difficult moments. And she doesn't wish the days away.
So, when we feel tangled up, physically and mentally exhausted, stretched to the limit, how can that sense of "Friday" be captured?
- Be present in the moment, bad or good. Pay attention to yourself, your reactions to things, your surroundings.
- Be malleable. Think about the fluidity of water. "Go with the flow!"
- Set limits. Fill in the blank on what this means for you. Setting limits on ourselves is key. Valuing our time is essential. If we don't respect our time, no one else will.
- Examine what you are grateful for or what makes you joyful. One person that I am linked up with on Facebook frequently lists a handful of things that she is grateful for and/or finds joy in. (It has a radiating effect, too. It reminds me to think about my own joy!)
- When all else fails, just STOP.
What brings you back to center - to "Friday"?
