Keeping Your Head On Straight

Sometimes life gets a little hectic. You end up burning the candle at both ends and burning out. This last week has been like that. I have had so many obligations that needed to be fulfilled that I didn’t think it could be done. But, here it is. It’s Saturday and I’m still alive. Everything that needed to be done has been done.

My band participated in an Anti-Bullying Awareness show on Thursday. It was a very touching evening. Everyone who participated did an amazing job and I hope that this is the start of something great.

Last night my band played an acoustic show in 30 degree weather for Daemen College’s Homecoming Weekend. It was so cold that my fingers were getting numb and I couldn’t feel the strings.

Add on to all of this the full and part-time jobs and it was a crazy busy week. I got through it. It wasn’t easy, but I got through it. I have to admit that by Tuesday I felt like quitting my job and running away from life. This isn’t the right mind set to have when you are trying to live life. Even though I would love to just go of into the woods and live off the land, I know that this isn’t the right thing for me to do at this point and time. What got me through this week was my close friends and “me time”.

Even though you have a lot on your plate you cannot forget the most important person in your life. YOU. Everyone needs to make time to have for yourself. If you make a list of what you do all day, or even keep a journal of what you do throughout a day, I can almost guarantee that you will not have enough “free time” in your schedule. Everyone has obligations to things like: school, work, friends, hobbies, etc. Now things that you may try to consider “me time” might actually not be. Taking your morning shower is an example of this. To know if this is “me time’ ask yourself, ‘When I take a shower in the morning am I thinking about what I have to do today?’ If you are, then that’s not “me time” that’s “planning time” A shower should be not only cleansing your body, but your mind and spirit as well. As the water hits you, imagine your stress and negative energy washing down from your head to your toes and then down the drain. If you spend your shower time planning and worrying about the day ahead you are just getting more flustered and frustrated than if you take that time to relax and refresh your system. Starting your day out on a positive note will echo throughout your day.

That was just one example of how to take time for yourself to make your life a little less stressful. Another thing you can do (especially if you are a stickler for schedules) is to actually schedule “me time”. Take your daily planner, your iPhone, your iPad, your Blackberry, your Droid, whatever you use to keep track of your day and schedule yourself some time for you. All you need is a half hour a day where you can do nothing and just be you. This refresh time is crucial to having a happy life and allowing your personal legend to lead you.

I understand that there are things in your life that take up a lot of your day. Kids can be the worst time draining thing in your life. But like I said earlier, you can use your morning shower as your time to relax. If you take a shower in the afternoon, do it there. Just make sure that when you take time for yourself it’s doing something that you love; something for you.

If you have any questions about this post; any comments or responses, leave one for me and I’ll try to address it.

Long days and pleasant nights,

Shoeless Joe Kenyon