Hello Wonderful User:

How is your schedule these days?  I’m sure it is very full if not impossibly jam packed!  Do you have the feeling that you are just barely hanging on and one more event, request or Hallmark movie will put you over the edge and everything will fall into shambles?

There is the usual advice for how to manage your obligations and responsibilities – get a new organizing system, say no, ask for help, delegate, buy more Häagen-Dazs…. all valid options, but let’s face it.

You’re probably not going to do any of it (…except maybe the ice cream). 

At this point, even activities that are meant to be helpful can seem like one more task on the overloaded to do list. 

I feel you.

I see how hard you work and how much you have to juggle and it’s really, really hard some days. 

I think of all the ways I might be able to help but they all seem like something else you might have to fit into your marathon of getting things done.  Except for this….

Pause….and breathe….

Try it right now…pause in your reading and take one deep breath (I’ll wait….)

There….not a big drain on your time and yet surprisingly effective.  Especially if you can do it more than once during your day.  In yoga, I teach students to pause briefly between poses to take a breath, get still and then move to the next pose.  I also encourage them to practice this off the mat.  What I notice in the classes and in my own practice of pausing is that there is more groundedness and lightness.  The feelings of anxiety and overwhelm are replaced with clarity and mindfulness and everything that needs to get done, gets done. 

My wish for you is a month filled with spaciousness, rest and time for everything you have on your to do list.  If this isn’t possible, then I hope you can pause once and a while and take a deep breath.  I know you’ll feel better for it and it just might be the break that you need in order to keep on keepin’ on!

Love,