A Rich and Full Life

A few years ago, a friend and I were trying to find time to get together, and feeling frustrated about how our calendars wouldn't line up. Finally he made the comment, "well, we both lead rich and full lives".

That comment has stuck with me ever since. I use it as a litmus test to see if I've taken on too much, and gone beyond the rich and full, and into the harried and crazy. I also use that saying as a buffer to comfort myself when I feel afraid that the comment "busy people are just running from something" may be true for me. Whether my life is rich and full, or an avoidance technique is something I often wonder.

So, how do you know? How can you tell? For me, I use several tools to determine where I'm at. If any one of these is true, it's a sign I need to dial back take some time to pause. Here they are.

1. Am I acting like a jerk to my partner, finding fault with him instead of gratitude for his presence? If I'm in nitpicking mode, I know it's time to stop what I'm doing and start writing my gratitude list, and my daily intentions.

2. When was the last time I meditated, or called in to a Capacitar Thai Chi call? If it's been weeks, these bubble up to the top of my priority list.

3. Am I avoiding my job in favor of wandering around in my garden? Ok.. noted.. I need some conscious garden time, and that needs to come in alignment with my job responsibilities.

4. When was the last time I felt that deep in my heart, bring tears to my eyes joy? If it's been a while, I know I'm on robo-go. I pause, and go back to my joy bringing techniques: gratitude, talking to the girls in Myanmar, meditating, getting dirty in my garden.

Another good friend gave me the perfect wisdom when I mentioned my age old wondering of what the right level of business is, and why I couldn't sit still like others (This ability to just hang out for a weekend is something I admire, but cannot fathom how to do. People look so happy. It feels excruciating to me!). She said, "Do you take time to pause? For some, rest time may be a weekend. For others, it may be a few breaths." Perfect. I took a few long, deep breaths. Rested again.