Listen if you prefer ^^
Take your Time
Everything’s up for debate.
We’ve been a bit quiet.
Unless of course you are in one of The Project groups and we have been talking to you pretty much 24/7.
All sorts has been going on, and I’ll be honest – I haven’t had really enough time to think about all of it properly (and therefore write about it, which is generally where I make sense of things.
I am way slower witted in person than in print)
But a lot of recent shenanigans have been time-related.
Someone made a pretty valid this morning: she did not have time to fit in a run.
Busy girl – can see how that seems the case.
And it reminded me of a conversation I had with a – I’ll be honest – quite infuriatingly negative sounding woman last month.
I said: looking at your week, your 2-hour big shop on a Saturday with the children like little sneaky terrorist/pickpocketers posting all manner of biscuits, choc ices and Haribo into the trolley every time your back is turned.
(Tesco on Saturday…are you actually smoking crack? Why would you do that?)
…then what looks like 3 more ‘mini-shops’ to Co-op, through the week (I had made her collect her receipts and ‘hand them in!’, and then the THREE trips to the garage to put ten quids worth in….with accompanying Pringles, the odd Toffee Crisp and packet of Golden Virginia and Rizzlas (side but important issues)
Is it true that you do not have time to do an online shop?
Or fill the car once a week.
Or have the willpower to resist eating choc and crisps all the time.
You see what I’m saying.
We run ourselves ragged, and get so tired in the process – that taking the time to streamline seems like too much effort to manage.
But when we manage our childrens lives….this is the stuff we do.
“You need to go to bed now – or you’ll be too tired for school”.
We wouldn’t DREAM of sending them to school with no breakfast.
We make sure their homework is done.
We don’t let them eat a whole packet of Chocolate Hob-Nobs in one sitting as we know it isn’t good for them.
We make sure they fill their minds with educational, wholesome stuff – we switch off the TV if anything that will give them nightmares comes on.
We make sure they have time outside, and time to socialise, and learn, and relax…
We make sure their rooms are tidy, so they can find their things easily.
But somehow…. we don’t deserve that kind of life for ourselves.
The Project ladies will be streamlining their houses as well as their thinking – this is important.
Nothing like a challenge, I say.
And even with the first cutlery drawer tackled… things were already looking brighter for people.
Sounds mental, but searching through the horrible spoons to get to the matching nice spoons, under the tin foil that’s come out of its box, and the fondue fork…(I know).. and waste 15 seconds like that.
Adds a little micro-grr added to the day.
And nipping to the coop because you’ve run out of eggs, adds an extra 20 minutes, what with the parking and the queueing and the packet of Walkers Sensations you wouldn’t have bought otherwise.
There are 100s of those every day.
They add up.
And The Project (our signature online course) ladies have just been monitoring the time they spend on Facebook.
Trust me – if you think it’s 20 minutes a day – I promise you it’s an hour.
We reclaimed HOURS each, a day.
Everyone did.
Look at these sentences – I said them to someone this morning and I think they are very powerful.
You wake up with the same 24 hours as everyone else.
What you do with those hours makes the difference between you and everyone else.
I am not sure if I made that up or saw it in a gangster film.
Doesn’t matter. It’s still true.
Unless you are in Prison or have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act – everything that you do or say or feel in that 24 hours – is up for debate.
Your job. You hate it. You can get a different one. Or be unemployed. Or self-employed.
You won’t starve and you won’t die.
Your relationship – needs work.
You can leave it, or fix it or accept it.
The demands people make on you.
You can refuse them. Or do some of them. Or if you enjoy it…invite more of them.
You hate where you live.
Move.
I mean seriously MOVE.
This is a very big planet and the most depressing thing I heard last week was
“I am a Southampton girl born and bred. Was born in this house and I will die in this house.
Do you love it? No the area has gone downhill – it’s not like it used to be.”
She’s bloody 38!
GAHHHHHHHH
Everything is up for debate.
You are never as trapped as you think.
Get a little clarity – Take our 5 day Life Declutter Challenge