Taking it easy, doesn’t always mean taking the easy way out...

I now constantly re-evaluate my life, my motives and my stress limits. I try, and try to prioritize and I constantly fall short. I can’t get my family and work balance in perspective. I want to paint more. I want less stress. Then I have to take this Tamoxifen for five years that has put a nix in my metabolism (that was already miffed on with the steroid they gave me during chemo.) I get so frustrated because to top it off all I have to do is over stimulate my system to shed a few pounds, which would be fine if I did not find myself in physical therapy because I have a bulging disc in my lower back! My oncologist said it was better to gain than to not be able to gain…ok so I have to give myself a break. But it is so hard to take it easy! Then again I find that doing things the easy way is not always the best way.

Simply, it seems to me the easier we try to make our lives the more complicated it all turns out. Pre-made, microwave meals of all sorts to give us more time...more time to recover from the sickness all these conveniences cause us with the steroids, preservatives and chemicals.

My Granny was such a savvy business woman, yet she wasted nothing! She knew the importance of my future world and how she might affect it. Her and I had very deep debates (and conversations) about politics, social issues and wasting (time and money.) It was not until later in life I have appreciated her views on the former of the mentioned subjects. She was frugal yet generous, conservative yet open-minded. I speak of her in the past tense only because I miss the heart-to-hearts we used to have not because she is dead. She is ninety-four and suffers from dementia...and still she has her moments of spark (when I get to see her.) She still teaches me. Her lessons of love and concern, of practicality and hard work and knowledge to sustain life.

I hope you take my insights with a grain of salt and not preachy. I say them to make myself endorse/implement them more readily in my life. I struggle with enjoying the process of day-to-day duties. I want to rush through small task like brushing my teeth and the big things like meal preparations. I often find cooking as another creative outlet but when I have a full work load and three little ones to clean after and feed, I am often without inspiration to cook. I want the easy way out. The easy way out (especially when it come to meal preparation) is so harmful to the body.

Then, I take a deep breathe (my signature action now- just ask my hubby who can now read what the length and decibel of my exhales entail.) l tell my self to enjoy the process, be patient and well buck up and stop taking the easy way out.

It is not easy to make my own soap, or prepare organic mac-n-cheese from scratch or resist using the microwave to cook my meal sides. Yet I get mad at not having time to exercise when I rush through every part of every other task in my day!

So, I stop looking for “rock star” parking and make myself park as far as it is safe (and I am physically able to haul my kids) from the entrance of where ever my errands/life lead. I have been in physical therapy that teaches me to be conscious of my core (torso) muscles, that my moves should be deliberate in all things from picking up my kids to how I stand to wash dishes. I am constantly reminded I just want to accomplish and forget to enjoy.

I still give myself a break in that I can’t be perfect and if anyone in my life has problems accepting that or me as is...well I must progress onward and upward without them. I fret about my housework but have come to realize that those that mean the most to my family come to see us not our house. I take my chores in steps. Anytime I open the dishwasher to remove a clean item I remove at least two other things. This means I don’t feel the pressure having to complete it all at once, it becomes a process through the day. I keep a vacuum up and downstairs and (chemical-free) cleaning products in all heavy traffic areas so I am not constantly running back and forth.

So, please, keep stress at a minimum. Fret over your kids well being but don’t forget soak them in. Meals and housework and jobs can overwhelm when we lose stance of significance. The important thing is to live long, love long and have lots of loved ones around as long as possible. Waste not, want not…it is a mantra that applys to many facets of life.

And I have to add something my Granny used to tell me her mother told her: A task, be it great, be it small, should be done well or not at all. Enjoy the steps of a task...each task is apart of life and life is precious.