Are you keeping the most important plate spinning?

I haven’t written a blog post for what seems like an age (and my noble commitment of writing every two weeks, like clockwork, has become a little tarnished) .. but I’ve forgiven myself.

The truth is I’ve been so wrapped up with other tasks, I’ve let things slip a bit …

I’ve been focusing on work, with any remaining energy spent on ‘being a good Mum’ (with all the little things that that involves)… my article writing dropped out of sight, and I’ve been feeling a bit like I’m drowning.

I’ve realised what’s been happening, and I’ve got some balance back now so I can write about it with some clarity.

It reminds me of the circus skills training I did many years ago.

I learnt how to juggle and walk on stilts, and one thing that fascinated me was the guy who taught us how to spin plates on a stick; there’s a special knack to getting them started and then, with them all lined up, he would go from one to the other, and give them a little flick and they would carry on spinning.

I sometimes feel that my life is like that – one plate after another to keep in the air, moving from one to the next to make sure they all stay up…..

Do you ever feel drained and exhausted from all your spinning plates?

Do all those things (tasks, people, projects) that make demands upon you, make you feel that your energy is all used up even before your day has begun?

Have you ever stopped to consider that YOU are the most important plate to keep spinning …

Taking care of you is the essential first step in keeping all the others freely moving and working smoothly.

Do you know what your tipping point is –  the point at which you KNOW it’s all getting too much and you need to re-adjust and re-balance?

I know things are getting out of hand when I start to feel really grumpy and impatient (all the time!), and I feel tired even first thing in the morning.

It’s usually because I’ve been going to bed too late, working too long without any ‘staring out of the window’ time (and missing out on my crucial meditations).

How can you get yourself back on track when things are out of balance ?

I think there are three steps to noticing, and bringing things back into balance:

1. Know your warning signs

Get to know your personal ‘overwhelm’ signs. So for example, if you know you feel impatient, or grumpy or drained – let that be your warning sign, so you can notice it consciously when it happens and begin to do something about it.

You can write these down on a post it note, and stick it someplace where you’ll see it easily. (For next time … because there will always be a next time… we are only human!)

 2. Make a commitment to yourself above all others

No matter what else is going on in your life, allow yourself some time away from all of your other commitments – and make a commitment to yourself. Choose a time of day that you can devote to yourself (even if it’s just half an hour) – to do something that nourishes you.

3. Know what nourishes you (and do some of that)

What does ‘nourishment’ mean to you?  If you’re not clear,  do some soul searching to find the answer.

Is ‘nourishment’ making delicious foods to eat, going for a walk in the forest (yes please!), putting on some music and dancing round the room, meditating?

Whatever you consider to be nourishing for you, pick a time of day and do some of that.

When you begin to nourish yourself consistently you’ll have so much more energy for all the other things in your life, and you’ll feel happier and more balanced.

Once you acknowledge that you are the most important plate to keep spinning, the rest will be so much easier to keep in the air!

Here’s to a few early nights, and extra ‘staring out of the window’ time for me!

Over to you!

Do you know what your ‘overwhelm’ warning signs are ?

How do you nourish yourself?

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Please leave me a comment in the box below.