May 6, 2010

It finally dawned on me!

Is it possible to have a more relaxed day to day life while fully enjoying it? Are you there yet? If so, what is your secret? I don't know why but I used to need to do everything quickly so I'd have more time for "everything" else. Everything around us bets on speed: Internet connection, mail delivery, cars, photo developing, fast tills in the grocery stores, fast food, quick cookers, fast growing plants ...not to mention the worshiping of multitasking! And in spite off all of this, we still wish we had a few more hours in a day because there really is just so much we can achieve in the mere 24 hours.  I wish my house was clean and shiny every day, my laundry and ironing done, the food I cook super healthy and tasty, I would like to have the time to go to the dog shelter, to exercise, curl up with a good book, write letters, read the blogs I follow I am addicted to, post on my blog, watch an episode of my favorite TV show or a movie, meet with friends and so much more! All in just one day, of course. You didn't think I was talking about life in general, did you? Wouldn't it be grand to be able to do all that in just one day? Plus sleep and go to work? I can't do half of it and I am on sick leave! For the second month in a row. My body had enough. And it didn't use gentle whispers to let me know. Maybe it has, I may not have been listening very well...or at all is more likely as the signs were there for months. My thyroid went crazy (hyperthyroidism) and it has shaken my body with a magnitude of 8.1 Richter scale. I started to pay attention.  I know I can have all I mentioned above but I need to change the way I go about it and primarily change the way I treat myself.  The prescription pills started working and most of the less worrying symptoms got milder but hyperthyroidism causes anxiousness, restlessness, unusually fast heart pulse as well and they kind of stuck with me, so I thought meditation sounded like a good place to start.  There was no epiphany after the first class but I wasn't expecting one. I have learned in the past few months, that change doesn't happen overnight. I need to find my inner peace as my body feels like it's fermenting. I need to slow down in everything I do: talking, reading, eating, typing, cleaning, working... as it only brings more stress instead of less. I always seemed to be in a rush, but if I happened to slow down for a reason I accomplished the same amount of work and I felt so much better. I need to focus on the task at hand and I can't do that if I act like there is no tomorrow. So many women do so much more than me in a day and some make it look like it's an effortless thing as I don't see them running around like headless chicken. I need to learn how to better live my life. I always appreciated the little things in life and my health but some blog writers helped me get an even clearer picture of what it is that makes life a more joyous one: watching donkeys play, catching a glimpse of their pink tongues, wondering how does a cat end up stealing almost every picture frame, caring about raccoons found in the walls or taking the time to look for them in a tree hole,  learning about the "weeds" in someone's garden, falling in love with opera, growing your own vegetables, taking care of disabled animals and loving it, taking care of horses without ever complaining about it, walking through a forest really seeing it, sharing your knowledge and good advice, immortalizing moments with a camera and sharing the pictures with the readers, learning about the life in the country or Africa, reading a witty/interesting/funny/hilarious/sad blog post, receiving feed back on what you had to say.... It is possible to live better, to live with less, to have a new quality to life. This should be my goal for 2010. My endocrinologist said this is the time to reinvent my life - the prescription pills will help lower the hormone levels but from that point on a lot depends on me.  And I am going to give it my best try: meditation, relaxation, enjoying the nature, loving myself more, pushing myself less, learning to be (more) patient and less irritable... learning how to stop and just enjoy and accept what life offers (or throws at me). Oh boy, this is going to be a remarkable year if I manage to achieve what I set myself to do:)))) 

Let me see where can I start.... I should cut down on some very time consuming habits. If I checked Facebook, my e-mail once a day instead of 10 times, I am sure that would save me some time. I already diminished the number of blogs that I tried to follow regularly and the result is that I enjoy the ones that I still read so much more! And I learned to only check those I can see on my Dashboard items as it tells me if there is a new post for me to read. I stopped watching some of the TV shows that I used to watch and there will be even less when I go back to work. See? I can live with less! Baby steps, baby steps.....

What.... did you think there will be no photo? This is me in Ireland. in 2008.. where I felt in peace with the universe (it was amazing!) ... I want to feel like that again and again and again...

11 comments:

Louise said...

Oh dear, I hope you are still going to come to my blog. I enjoy your company!

The 20th century, and now, the 21st, have been a time of tremendous change. Those changes have, mostly, been for the good, but, I think that the quick pace of today's life, because of all of those changes, has added to the stress we feel.

You're moving in the right direction. Meditation is a wonderful idea, as is taking the time to really notice and enjoy the things around you. You'll find the path that is right for you.

Now me, I'm just lazy. Slower is better, as far as I'm concerned. ;-D

Elda said...

i'm glad you finally got the right life attitude, sandra. better later than ever. certainly it would have been better to slow down before your bodyquake, but those moments are also great for learning. so welcome, new relaxed sandra, and bye old habits. though i hope my blog will be on your dashboard hey! LOL

you know, i embraced this lifestyle long ago, and it was part of my reasons why i decided to give up my career. of course, i chose supreme love above everything, and the nomadic life we were going to have put me away from jobs. then i had ali and i wanted to be there for her because of all the gìthings i missed as a child. so here i am.

but i think i would have gone crazy trying to manage love life, career and kids. i'm one of those fortunate women who can allow not to have an income and i'm fully enjoying it. who knows what kind of elda i would be if i had to work for money. yuck!

now alfonso jokes about my lazy and relaxed ways, when were in milan he said i could win first place at the slow down marathon. well, his problem, not mine! he's so very stressed and still has to understand what took you a fear to live well.

Anonymous said...

Sandra,

This is a wonderful post - I love it. You hit the nail on the head for me quite a few times. It is possible to live better with less, you'll see. :) I wish for you a remarkable year - you can do it!

Melody said...

Wow my friend; that is all so VERY true... the multitasking (noone can burn dinner and check e-mails at the same time quite like me...), the mental hurrying up, to get to the GOOD part of the day (which is basically wishing your life away). I agree, and I need to make some changes too; I think the whole world needs a change, to slow down and to learn to live in the "now". Do you mind if I join you on your Baby Stepping Journey to "Peace of Mind" ??? :)

Sandra said...

Melody, I would be really happy if you baby stepped with me!

Martina said...

Sandra,
what I read here you wanted to do every day is the same for me....every day seems to go by in a rush and I have the feeling I have not done what I wanted. During Christmas time when I was at home I started to get me down and it clicked...but I was on holidays. My goal was to find more time for my family, my friends and for me.....a few weeks later I was back in the old routine....unfortunately. I hope you can find your inner balance soon and would wish that our life would slow down and not become more and more hectic every day.
Wish you good luck and all the best my dear!
Martina

Eva said...

It's good you found out that you need to slow down, although the way you had to find out is not so good. Apparently we -humans- only learn lessons the hard way. And we only take such a wise decision (to slow down) when we are with our backs against the wall. It might be difficult at first but once you get the hang of it you are glad you changed your life, and you will even wonder why you hadn't done that years ago.
And you are right, you need a lot less than you thought you did. But be careful with all those things you want to achieve ... it sounds somewhat like a 'must' again. Before you know you are pushing yourself into having to relax ... and then getting frustrated it doesn't work for you ...
I wish for you all the strength you need to reach a certain peace of mind (and body).
Take care,
Eve

Suzanne said...

I just found your blog from a link at Morning Bray Farms. I love elephants, too! I'm in the same place as you are -- looking at what I don't want and that helps me understand what I do want. Have you ever looked at Zen Habits, a blog by Leo Babauta? I admire him so much. He has simplified his life to focus on what is important to him and what gives him joy. He has come a long way and I am more at the place he was in the beginning of his journey. If interested, click his "Start Here" link on the right sidebar. He has popular posts and farther down the list his story. I really like who he is and what he has accomplished with his life. I don't know if I'm interested in everything he does, but I've gotten some wonderful tips from him and always enjoy the loving, enthusiastic person that shines from his writing. I'm looking forward to exploring your blog! Wishing you well. :)

Sandra said...

Thank you for your comment Suzanne! I just looked up Zen Habits, thanks! I used to follow some simplify your life blogs a while ago, but I guess I wasn't ready to accept the change back then. I surely am now. Hope to hear from you again.

Suzanne said...

Hi Sandra,

I wasn't ready to accept the changes in the simplify your life blogs before either, but now I am. I've been hanging out enjoying Leo's energy on Zen Habits and dipping my toe in some of the changes he talks about once in awhile. I got his new book out of the library and will have to get it again. It's a totally different way of thinking for me and takes a while to absorb. He's doing his own thing because it works for him, but what I really like is how his choices allow him to do what he enjoys every day and be successful at what he wants to do. I'm looking for my own version of that and he helps me see how he figured it out for his life. The notice that the choices you made are very like the ones Leo Babauta made.

Steve Pavlina is another one I was drawn to at one time because of how he is living his life fully and doing what he wants.

For both of them, it was their life story that inspired me.

Now I'm excited to begin going through some of your other posts. I send you much appreciation for your loving work with animals and the light you shine.

Martina said...

Sandra,
please have a look at my Blog...there is something for you!!!
Martina

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