I am spinning. Well, not literally (thankfully), but my insides definitely are. I have so many thoughts swirling around that I have a headache – I imagine that it’s a result of all of these thoughts constantly running into each other.
As you all know, I believe in the law of attraction. I believe that what we think about is what we create. I believe that what we give our energy to becomes our reality. And so I know that I have created this spinning – this headache – these thoughts – this life. I know that.
And so I sit here and ask myself how can I create something different?
I have owned my business for seven years. And each year, I wait excitedly and a bit nervously for the holiday season to begin. As every gift business owner knows, the forth quarter is when the orders come flying in – this is when we kick everything into high gear – we move faster, pack faster, type faster, think faster…everything is faster because there is a ticking clock that points to one date and one date only: Christmas. We know from now until right before this date, things will get crazy.
Or will they?
Does everyone who owns a gift business feel this strain – this excitement that is also mixed with a touch of overwhelm peppered with a little bit of fear? What if we won’t be able to keep up? What if the packages won’t reach our customers in time? What if we spin too fast that we fall over completely?
Five minutes ago, I was working on two computers simultaneously – editing a journal on one and printing out a shipping order on the other. Dan was frantically binding journals that absolutely had to ship today – and (what I wish wasn’t a typical day – but it definitely seems to be) raced out just in time to make it to the post office and send the orders out. We push back eating; we push back sleeping; we push back living – all for the sake of the orders, our business, and this busy season.
And just now I was able to step back from it and see myself in this craziness. I realized that I have created this frantic lifestyle. I can’t even recall how many times I have said that the holiday season is crazy – it’s madness. I expect to not sleep regularly, eat at normal hours, or live my life during these two months. That, to me, is absolute madness. And because I expect this, guess what I have attracted? Exactly what I thought – absolute chaos and craziness.
So right now in this very moment when there are more orders in the queue than I have ever seen and more journals to make and pack and more customized gifts waiting to be designed and more emails to reply to than I can even wrap my brain around I am writing. I am here. I am spending time with you and with my soul. I am so grateful for each order that comes in – I am so grateful for every book that we send out, but I am also realizing that I can be grateful for these things and still take care of myself. I can change the game plan – I can change my thoughts.
So here I go: I am now focusing on inner peace and everything working out and life moving at a slower, calmer pace – especially during the next two months. I am focusing on breathing in and then out and then in again. I am focusing on getting everything done in a relaxed way – a way that I feel good about. And in doing so, I know that the world will not fall apart. Nothing will collapse. Everything and everyone will be fine. And I will finally be able to fully exhale.
Ahhhh… already feeling better.
How about you? Can you take a few moments for yourself today? Can you check in with your soul and listen to what it wants to tell you? Can you put yourself on the priority list – even for five minutes – even if it’s just to focus on your breathing – even if it’s just once today? I promise you’ll feel better, and your soul will definitely thank you.
Wonderful post! We should not get ourselves overwhelmed, and we should always take a few minutes for ourselves! =)
I just visited your shop as well, and I found so many items I like so much!
~Kim
Visiting from Blogging Buddies team
Thanks so much for stopping by, Kim! I’m still working on the not feeling overwhelmed part of it all… baby steps. 😉 Thanks for your sweet words about our products! I’m off to check out your blog now!
Great post! I believe in the law of attraction too, and you are absolutely right, we should make the time to collect ourselves, learn to focus and stay calm. Everything else will follow into place.
I am glad I found you via blogging buddies. I am now your newest follower.
Carla
Hi Carla – thanks so much for stopping by and commenting! So glad you’re here! 🙂
Timely post! I’ve been going a bit crazy with custom orders — very grateful to be busy, but becoming a bit frazzled trying to keep up.
I just got back from shipping off a big custom order — went to the self-serve kiosk at the post office at 8:45 p.m., and I’d planned to start working on another that should ship tomorrow. But I decided to follow your advice. BREATHE. (My daughter gave me a pad of sticky notes that said, Breathe In. Breathe Out.) And I’m going to go to bed at a reasonable hour for the first time in at least 10 days. I’m a morning person. I’ll set my alarm early (very early). But for tonight, I am going to take care of myself and get some rest.
Thanks, again, for your post.
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
Hi LeAnn – how are your orders going? I completely feel for you – it’s definitely the season. Or is it? I may still need to work on changing my mindset about it. 😉 I’ll breathe in and out with you…
Ahhh…Jodi. I feel myself breathing easier after reading your words. I’ve decided it’s all about slowing, slowing, slowing & breathing, breathing, breathing. Tuning into our spirit, thinking about what we want to create, asking for guidance, trusting.
Thank you for sharing the beauty of you.
With love,
Julia
Exactly – slowing, slowing, slowing… now if I could just learn to follow this advice. 😉 My higher self writes these words, and then I frequently find my ego kicking and screaming each time I try to make changes and put them into action. Practice makes perfect. 🙂 ♥ ♥
Jodi, I can so relate to your spinning. I have determined to spend time meditating each morning and evening…even if it’s just fifteen minutes. But I keep putting it off. What a sucker for punishment. Why do I allow myself to follow the same ragged path when there is a perfectly straight path before me.
Perfect post for the day my darling. I hear you and I needed it. If you lived next door to me we could pinch each other when we get off track. Ouch!! That would do the trick. LOL!!
Hugs & Peace,
Leah
I would love an accountability partner! Just realizing that I have gotten off of the path is sometimes a great place for me to start. 😉 The ragged path is our known – and it’s comfortable. Makes sense that we stay on it, even when we know it’s not what we need. But… we keep getting back on and keep picking ourselves up when we fall. So that definitely counts for something. ♥ to you!