I Shall Be Released

After culling my schedule of things that drain my energy instead of nurturing me, I have found that I now have time and mental energy to get excited about and start planning some of the bigger projects I want to create, like writing the next book and writing the next group of songs for a new CD.

I also have become aware of how much I miss yoga, so am switching my gym membership to a new routine of yoga classes.

New resources have become available: my friend Joan gave me good information about a local yoga class that would be perfect for me; Tim at Comcast came up with a way to tape my show all at one, thus eliminating the many editing hours. It’s a remarkable reminder that when I nurture and care for myself, the universe responds, flow returns.

What can you cull from your schedule in order to have the energy and time to start creating the bigger projects you dream of someday creating?  Or to go for that bike ride you love? Or to be with friends you haven’t been with for a long time?

Some suggestions:

• Set boundaries at work, knowing you are valued.

• Say a tactful no to requests for your time that deplete your energy, rather than nurture you. There are only so many hours and the more you give away, the less you have, so make sure you are giving to what feeds you.

• Get comfortable doing things that are meaningful to you—it’s not selfish, it’s self-care and makes your impact on others loving, rather than resentful.

• Relax your standards about cooking, cleaning—get help where you can, delegate to children so they can learn about communal responsibility.

• Skip some of the many sports games. You can still be a good parent without attending every single baseball game your child plays. Switch off with your partner and explain to your child that you need some time for yourself—a good lesson for her/him on how to take care of themselves.

• Barter with a friend or neighbor for childcare—one week you host the play date, the next week they do and you get a needed break.

• Make time for daily exercise which will make you feel so much better physically–stronger and lighter, relieving stress and clearing your head.

• Take time first thing daily to be in stillness, connect with your deeper heart, meditate, perhaps journal about what your heart longs for and make a pact with yourself that you will aim to meet your needs and wants with the best of intentions, knowing everyone around you wins when you are happy and at peace.

Contact me at www/dianeingram.com/contact and I will email you an Ideal Week form where you can chart your hours and how you spend them now, and then how you want to spend them. It is illuminating to see where the time goes and allows you to make choices that serve you better.

Check out Patrice 1 and 2 at www.dianeingram.com/the-diane-ingram-show where she finds success using the Ideal Week and taking good care of herself.

Life is short. Go for all the fulfillment and pleasure that is yours to have when you consciously choose.