There is something very energizing when I see flowers start to bloom at the start of spring. It reminds me that life is a continuum…and it is during the periods of rest (winter) that we heal and repair to be able to put forth something ever more beautiful (spring). I try my best to apply that to my life (although not always very successful). But when life starts getting too much, it is time to slow it down, let a couple of things fall of the plate and “rest”. Frequently, I’ll find that the things I let go will resurface later and I’ll be able to handle them much better. If they don’t, well then they were pretty dang low on the priorities (e.g. bathing the dog…always another day for that).
I suppose the proper term for this is prioritizing. Get the most important items to the top of the list…kids everything (it’s about them most of the time, right?), big projects, and personal time. Wait, personal time? Ummm, yeah, that’s what I said. We have to let ourselves rest to come back better than ever. When we don’t put ourselves up there as a priority, we can’t be there for our kids, partner/spouse, family, work and anyone else that needs us. And no, this is not just geared toward women. Yes, we women tend to be heavy jugglers, but there are just as many men out there that are carrying the world on their shoulders too.
I think of it like carrying a weight. If you hold 10 lbs for 5 or 10 minutes it is pretty easy. However, extend holding that same weight to 30 min, an hour, a day, a week (okay, I think a day is pushing it)… Not so easy, is it? The same thing occurs when we put so much on ourselves at once. It may seem manageable at first, but over time it is harder and harder to keep up, and much like the weight, and eventually it comes crashing to the ground. Something will give. So, it’s better to pick the weight up for a few minutes at a time, with breaks in between. You’ll get a better product in the end.
Some days I am a rock star in this department and am on top of everything, even accurately anticipating the future. Other days, weeeellll, I’m lucky I get my clothes on properly and make it to work on time, much less remember to eat. However, when it starts warming up and spring is in the air, I am rejuvenated to get life in order.
Something about that first warm(er) sunny day that makes me open the door wide, let the clean fresh air in (and all the bugs according to my husband), turn on upbeat music, dance a little with the kiddos and immediately figure out what needs to be organized. Yep, pretty much in that order. I want to shovel the house out of all it’s winter build up of clutter. What I find the more I physically clean out and organize, the more I mentally seem to do the same. At the end of it, my house is looking a lot better, a couple non-profits are quite happy and my mind feels light as air.
So, don’t beat yourself up over not being on top of it all the time. That’s an impossible task to ask of anyone. Let those low priorities fall off the plate…they will come back on later, or maybe not at all. And, when you see the first flower bloom, start clearing out the physical and mental clutter and know that it is time recharge, renew and rejuvenate yourself for your spring rebirth. You will not only come back better for your family and friends, but you most importantly, you will come back better for you!
It’s hard to think of spring when you live in northern New Hampshire and you have 20″ of snow an more to come. But on the other hand when that first flower pops it’s head out of the ground it makes you feel like doing something to get life back in order. When it’s time for spring clean up (either in the house or outside) your body knows and you get the energy to start cleaning up. Let’s hope that we can put that at the top of the list very soon around here.