Have you ever heard that saying – “Can’t see the forest for the trees” ? I have often been in this predicament – where you get bogged down in the details and you have no idea of the bigger picture.
For me it is especially relevant in those times where I am
over-committed, over-tired, and over-it.
There are so many things on my plate I hone in my focus on one tiny thing at a time. And while there is a lot to be said for the survival mechanism of one foot in front of the other, the danger lies in shutting down your inner voice to take those steps. While she is telling you repeatedly – “ok this is too much!” – you silence her to get things done, to not let anyone down, and to keep taking those steps. There is no pause button, no taking stock and no over view of where you are heading.
Even when I have streamlined my schedule and created space, I can often lose sight of where things are leading me. The routine and commitments that are unavoidable – as the minister of domestic support, there are things that need to be done by me for the 3 other people in my life to get on with theirs. Life on repeat. And often the result if left unchecked, is a dimming of your own light, your own purpose and your own dreams.
So here’s what I am discovering can stop you going down this tunnel – and get you to step away from the trees to help you gain sight of the forest. For me getting away from the house, from the routine, from the everyday is definitely the answer.
A chance to draw a line in the sand, turn off some of the mundane, create some internal space, and allow one of the many balls you may be juggling to fall into place.
Whether it be
- a little family getaway – one night – made easy thanks to the joy of wotif – a simple 1 hour drive away – to the coast where there is no housework to be done, no meals to be made, and everyone benefits from a change of scenery and the opportunity to experience something refreshingly different
- a date night without the kids – either at home or at a hotel in the city – once again no housework, no organising small people, no interrupted conversations – a chance to be simply a couple again
- a girls’ weekend – where you get to put the mummy part aside/ or the hard worker/career driven part, and the domestic support on hold while you reconnect with yourself as yourself and bask in the friendship and support of your gal pals
- a solo trip – whether it be a retreat or a single night to yourself – where you can truly immerse yourself in some self love
I can hear some of the protests happening already, the “I can’t afford the money /time for a holiday”, or the “But everyone is relying on me I can’t go away”, or “The amount of organising I need to do to get the whole family away together is not worth it”, or the “My hubby and I can never align our schedules to get away together”. I have said them all before and only recently discovered the benefits of setting the protests aside and going for it.
In fact it was this time just over a year ago when I was toying with my idea of starting this website, that we took a little mim break to the coast with the boys. I was looking for a sign that I was heading in the right direction by following my love of colour – and it arrived in the form of a random hotel that I picked off wotif that happened to be the most colourful and joy filled place I had stayed in and without the distraction of the mundane must-dos, I got to experience it fully and start formulating my plan for getting my colour passion out there.
Our colourful getaway
And for anyone who is still unconvinced that they can fit this into their schedule, while you possibly desperately need this, there is a way to ease into it. The concept of simple pleasures. I recently followed 30 days of Simple Pleasures over at Creating a Colourful Life by the gorgeous Jennie Murphy where everyday an email would arrive in my inbox to prompt me to partake in one simple pleasure every day for the month of June. A little mini-break from the mundane must-dos. And Jennie finished her month off with a whole day of simple pleasures – 30 of them in one day! What a wonderful way to create that space – to leave a few balls off to the side while the self-love ball that you may not have been juggling too well – gets a chance to shine. You can create your own list or check out her list below – but get over to her site for lots of self love inspiration!
Let me know in the comments below how you step away from the mundane must-dos and try and gain sight of the forest. As always your input and comments are an inspiration to me. x
