It's not that I'm BUSY…I'm just NOT AVAILABLE!

I don’t mean to sound grouchy- actually I couldn’t be feeling more peaceful, and if you need some of that, READ ON:Are you too busy for your own life? Do you feel like you spend MOST of the time doing what you feel you HAVE TO and very little on what you WANT to?Wow, what a concept…what a crisis! And its epidemic. It seems everyone is sooooo busy- too busy- that they feel like they can barely keep their heads above water. In fact, it is even kind of a status symbol- you know, IF you don’t have plans for the weekend or the summer or next Tuesday for lunch etc, than perhaps you don’t have a life! To be busy, and not even that is enough these days- to be super-busy implies you are needed, wanted, in-demand, ‘happening’! At what cost?When asked at the end of the school year by other moms about all my fabulous plans for summer, I said ‘chillin’ with the fam’ and I couldn’t feel happier about it. I LOVE having time with them to relax, play, unwind, create, meditate, exercise, eat properly, keep in touch with loved ones- explore our inner and outer worlds together, and to have the time and space it takes to do that. It’s actually a Spiritual discipline not to clutter up my life.My husband comes from a large Italian family and there is always something happening. I have friends from 30 years and it can get overwhelming all the showers and parties and new babies and ON TOP OF ALL THAT there is the part about MAKING A LIVING to attend to!But what about making a life?I have spent YEARS feeling like I couldn’t take a breath, so I do get it! Being there for everyone- except myself. But that is the AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL thing about having little people, our blessed children…their innocence and wonder and inexperience and basic needs- everything about them makes one have to SLOW DOWN and FOCUS IN on what REALLY COUNTS. Yes, there is more work to do with kids, but the doing gets more centered and purposeful- at least it can if one chooses to realise this distinction, and claim it.How do you want to walk through life? Stressed all the time? Impatient and worried and pretending and caught up in a facade that at least OTHERS believe? When you are squeezed, what comes out of you?To me, that’s the mark that I strive for- to be how I wish to be under those circimstances! And I loose that resourcefulness when I run myself ragged trying to do too much. That is too high a price for me to keep paying…and remember, with a family, everybody pays if mama ain’t happy.So, as many of you know my mantra has been for the longest time ALLOW OTHERS, HONOUR MYSELF- the more I explore this and trust this the more profound the teachings become. Financially I pay for my standards…but I am truly listening to the call of my wild woman who is wise and tranquil and fierce and attuned.I have to give a special shout-out to a Diva extraordinaire who when squeezed gets more thoughtful, more gentle, and more beautiful not less…Tera.love Shannon Shakaya BreezepsIf you want to de-stress and de-clutter your parenting style, I made this just for youwww.rawmom.com/raisingchildren/index.htm