Right now, I am sitting in the sun on my back deck trying to rest and relax. The rest of my family is taking advantage of a great pre-spring day to go skiing…but I am here at home, alone. Why am I not swooshing down the slopes too? Well, I did say TRYING to rest and relax. Evidently the cold/cough/sinus infection/fever/vomiting/stomach bug thing has caught up to me, despite my best efforts to stay healthy. So, now I have the house to myself (unless you count our three cats), have time to read, watch a show, finish another knitted sock, and just lie about trying to get better, not doing much of anything else.
It got me to thinking…why do I always wait until I am sick in bed more or less to take a break for me? I think it is high time that we all think of taking anything from a moment to more for ourselves, before we are FORCED to because we are run down from all our hustle and bustle, stress and work.
This past January and February, we were all busy with not only our regularly scheduled activities of dance, archery and fencing after school hours, but also it was skiing and theater season. Plus I added a yoga class to race off to after play practice. An additional five days of activities was added to the mix. And oh yes, high cold and flu season to boot. So, as usual, I pushed through, took care of everyone else who got sick (most of the girls) and kept the house in shape, lessons on time and food on the table.
Seems like now, I am paying for it.
So, next time I am starting to feel dragged down, or am racing around, or losing my patience with the girls, I need to keep what I learned in that yoga class and what I am realizing now as I sit here surrounded my tissues and vapor rub, sucking a thermometer. Take a break! Breathe deeply and meaningfully (before your breaths are cut short by never-ceasing coughing!). Make the time, slow down, relax, say no to extra, however you want to put it. We all need it eventually, when our bodies tell us we have done too much by putting us ‘under the weather’.
I am deciding from now on to take a break, before I break down, so to speak. I need to keep this in mind, before my body decides for me.
