Mama Needs a Refill

As I transition into life as a stay at home mom with all the kids now in school I continue on my journey of striving to live a balanced life.

Flat on my back in yoga class the other morning it came to me as the instructor encouraged us to “let go and let the ground support you.”

Yep, I didn’t have to do anything in that moment but lay there and watch my breath.  When plans, worries, agendas, concerns, thoughts crept into my space I let them go, with a breath. I watched them float away down my imaginary river, with another breath.  When they surfaced yet again, I breathed again and switched my focus to watching my breath.  Not controlling my breath but watching it. By letting go I am that much closer to living a balance life.

How great it would be if I did this continually.  Like a stream, flowing in one direction. Just watching my breath and letting the earth support me.  Letting go of the stuff that weighs me down.

As I call upon my own life experience and wisdom from others, I am aware of how supported I am.  I have the tools in my back pocket to lead a balanced life.  We all do. It just takes letting go of the stuff that gets in the way, right?

Today in order to make it to a noon yoga class I had to give up some things on my to-do-list. Baking homemade cookies was one of those things. I was going to Book Club in the evening and offered to bring dessert. I was tempted but in the end I wasn’t willing to give up my yoga time. So by letting go of baking something homemade for my friends I was putting myself first and honoring my desire to connect with my body, mind and spirit and fill my cup physically, spiritually and mentally by attending yoga.

As I left for my class, I noticed the muddy kitchen floor. Our dog had tracked in mud from the back yard. I hesitated. Only momentarily. To think I almost gave up getting to yoga to mop the floor.  By letting go of having a perfectly clean floor for my family to enjoy when they got home, I figured they would get more out of having a happy wife and mother.

So to put myself first, to honor who I am takes letting go of expectations.  Expectations only I put on myself. At Book Club tonight, my friends were perfectly pleased with Metropolitan Market Brownies.  My family didn’t even notice the paw prints on the kitchen floor.  But I am sure they noticed I didn’t yell, and I wore a smile on my face. Pretty sure that didn’t go unnoticed.

What can you let go of today that will help make room for you?  What expectation can you drop so that you won’t stress yourself out?  What little thing are you making into a big thing and by letting it go you would be all the better?