Breaktime

I respect my limits

I have felt a little overwhelmed recently. Life has a natural ebb and flow but lately I have felt the panic of a rising tide of busyness and responsibility. Yesterday I was determined to buckle down and stem some of that tide by making plans to work diligently throughout the day.

Around mid-afternoon I started to feel restless and agitated. I was tired of sitting in a chair and I was frustrated with how much more work I had yet to do. I had reached my limits at that moment. I considered slogging through it but I have learned that there are times when pushing a limit can create more problems.

I took a break for some "family fun time," as one of my daughters affectionately calls it, and I felt ready to wade back into the work I had to do. I was riding my motorcycle back to the office and just as I was topping a hill and putting it into 3rd gear my clutch went loose and I could no longer shift gears. I was able to get to the bottom of the hill and then coast into a restaurant parking lot as the bike stalled out. I made a phone call for a ride and then got off the bike to take a look at things. I found that the tip of the cable that holds it into the clutch handle had popped off. Too much tension and wear had caused it to pull through the soldering holding it together. That small piece of metal wire being strained beyond the limits it could withstand brought the entire bike to a stand-still.

Just like a motorcycle there are multiple things I need in order to keep me going: sleep, nutrition, variety, connection, purpose, and emotional expression are just a few that come to mind. If I ignore my own self-care and push my limits to the point of breaking, it can shut-down the entire system. My limits are not there to hold me back, but rather to help me stay balanced and running smoothly.

What areas of your life are being stressed to the point of breaking?
If your limits are being tested how can you bring yourself back into balance?

Stop chasing cheese

I respect my limits and persevere with urgency, not haste

I am getting older and have noticed that sometimes when I am playing sports my mind moves more quickly than my body has the ability to respond. In those moments I realize that if I keep pushing beyond my physical limits I am more likely to get sustain an injury, or at the least embarrass myself.

I do not want to curb the passion or desire I have to pursue my goals, but I do need to recognize the necessity to be patient with myself.  My journey can only be traveled one step at a time, one day at a time, and it is marked by perseverance not speed.  I may find moments when what I need is to just slow down, breathe, and be gentle with myself.  If I run faster than I have strength I may find myself tripping and falling face down in the dirt. 

I am reminded of an annual tradition in Gloucester England where a giant wheel of cheese is rolled down a hill.  Participants chase after it as gravity quickly creates a momentum beyond their bodies abilities to control.  The event quickly becomes a jumble of flailing limbs and  bodies careening off one another. Catching the cheese becomes secondary to the vain attempts to stay upright and avoid major injuries as they crash down the hill.