Time to say no

By Virginia Winder
For years I have always been the girl who says yes.
Yes, I'll do that; yes, leave that to me; yes, I'll write that for you; yes of course. Yes. Yes. Yes...
Saying yes to everything might work as a great movie plot and if you are trying to live by serendipity, but it also leaves you no time to think.
Just as people use alcohol, sex and drugs to forget or put off dealing with pain, the workaholic uses busyness to avoid issues.
Finally, I am learning to say no.
It's not easy, because everything I am involved in is exciting and interesting. It's not possible though to work horrendous hours and have balance.
That's when the simple things in life get missed out, like going to a movie with a friend, going for a walk by the sea, helping your kids with their homework or reading a good book.
It's also important to ask those deep questions about life.
In his book Success Intelligence, Dr Robert Holden says that in his seminars, one of the exercises he does is to ask people three questions:
1. What do I want? (He gives them 10 minutes to speak their mind)
2. What do I really want? (They have 10 minutes to share from the heart).
3. What do I really really want? (You have 10 minutes to bare your soul).
I do know that I want to live a long time, be healthy, fit and do sport again. I also want to write and write and write.
That's the answer to No 1. I have not answers for No 2 and 3 yet.
Like all of us, I'm a work in progress and am learning to enjoy every moment.
Not much about sport and fitness today, mostly because I've started dreaming again.

Today, I:
Walked for 45 minutes
Ate three excellent meals (chewed slowly and didn't have too much)
Worked for 8 hours
Slept for 8.5 hours
Am now off to see the John Butler Trio