reset

 Every now and then, I think we all need a day to just hit the pause button, take a deep breath, and reset. It was one of those days for me. A home day with no plans, no rushing from one thing to the next, and absolutely no pressure to accomplish everything on my to-do list. Well, that was the plan anyway. Whether or not I could actually do nothing it is another story.

Life has been coming at me pretty fast lately, and as much as I love a full calendar, spending time with friends, teaching Mahjong, and having places to go and people to see, sometimes I need to remind myself that I can't keep running at full speed without taking a little time to recharge.

I'm pretty good at keeping up with everyone and everything else, but taking care of myself? That's sometimes a different story and somehow often placed on the back burner.  There is always something that needs doing around the house, another errand to run, or one more thing I think I should squeeze into the day. And let's face it, living in an old house with all my collections, plants, and ever-growing assortment of projects means there is never a shortage of things to keep me busy... the darn cob webs seem to appear overnight! 

So for one day, I gave myself permission to slow down,  putter around the house, tackling a few things at a snail's pace, stopping whenever I felt like it, and reminding myself that just because something could be done doesn't mean it has to be done.

I love a day that's not measured by the success of  how many checkmarks were made of a to-do list.  And believe it or not, I love a day at home, doing or not doing whatever suits my fancy. 

We spend so much time taking care of our homes, our families, our responsibilities, and all the little details that keep life moving along. Sometimes we forget that we need a little care and attention ourselves. Rest isn't something we have to earn by finishing every last chore, and those chores will still be there tomorrow. I'm fairly certain my house isn't going anywhere and my list of errands will continue to grow even when I'm checking them off. 

My day had one simple plan,  slow down, sip my morning coffee, chat on the phone with friends, and tackle the to-do list at a pace that would make a snail look ambitious. No guilt, no rushing, and no expectations that I need to turn a day off into another full day of work.

Sometimes the most productive thing we can do is give ourselves a little breathing room. The house can wait, the list can wait, and the world will keep spinning just fine without me trying to keep up with every single thing. It's easy to forget that taking care of ourselves deserves a place on the priority list, too.

By the end of the day, I accomplished more than I expected... easy mark to hit since I set no expectations on myself. Either way,  I'll consider my slow day a success and time well spent. I may place a permanent line on my to-do list reminding me to sit down and relax, maybe even slow down for 30 seconds. 

“For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.” — Lily Tomlin