Take It Easy.

How many times have you heard the phrase, you can’t see the forest for the trees?  Umpteen, I suspect.  But have you ever heard the phrase “It’s more difficult to see the forest when you’re running through the trees?”

Probably never.  It was a phrase my Mum used when trying to get me to pause…just for a moment.  She was trying to get me define my life not by what I did, but by who I was.  Not for many years did I understand the value of her words…as in most of the wisdom that she tried to impart…it used to fall on stony ground.

I was like the White Rabbit. What is it with me and Alice in Wonderland?  I’m late, I’m late for a very important date…was my motto.  It wasn’t that I was really late for anything, this was my attitude to life.  Had to get things done. Had to keep moving. Living life at such a fast pace that it was mostly a blur.  Certainly no time to stop and smell the roses.

It didn’t matter how quickly I moved, how much I did, I still fell further and further behind.  I always had another project, another task to be accomplished.    There were those who whispered type A personality.  What?  Rubbish and I rushed on to my next project.  Overachiever?  Me?  Really?

It was exhausting.  I was drained, physically, emotionally and spiritually.  I became ill.  Then I had to slow down.   Boy, was I sick.  But the good news was that I didn’t care.  It didn’t matter two hoots whether I accomplished something or nothing.  Actually accomplishing nothing felt better.  I was relieved.  I now had permission to do nothing.  To pause and just breathe.

What an eye opener.  I began to understand the quote  “Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.”

I was working life from the outside in and surprise, surprise, it didn’t turn out very well.  I began to learn…hey I was a little slow on the uptake I know…but I did begin.  I was awakening.  Awakening to the fact that who I was determined what I did.  Not the other way around.  My life mirrored back to me perfectly that I believed I had to do much to be worthy.  I had to do much to measure up.

I started to learn about the creative process in life and understand my role in it.  I had first to decide that I was worthy and all my ‘doing’ would stem from that belief.  I began to realize, in just a small way, that it was my thoughts and feelings that created my actions and from there came my results.  I looked around and saw that life was beautiful.

It was scarey to do things differently, but it was also a blessed relief.  My feet were sore from all that running. And life is so much easier when there’s time to breathe.

Encourage each other.

Love Elle.

xoxo

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Martin Lopatka

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