Easy Does It (or the LESS I try to do, the MORE I get done)

Do you remember these bumper stickers?

You don't see them around as much anymore but I remember seeing them a lot when I was a teenager and young adult.  They really bugged me.  They offended that part of me that thought that hard work is the way to go.  I have always thought that anything that was worth something took great effort.  Of course to some extent that is true and it's a lesson I'm trying to teach my children now. 

 You DO need to study hard for a test if you want to do well. 

You DO need to practice a sport if you are eager to improve. 

But here's something that is also true. 

Sometimes the LESS I try to do, the MORE I get done. 

I always have a million things going on.  I have a job.  Two kids, a husband, pets, a house and large yard (in a town like mine I am in the minority on this but I don't have a housekeeper or a gardener!)  I have lunches to make and laundry and so on and so on.  You know the drill.  On top of that, I have my art and I love to read and I need to exercise every day.  And just because I'm kind of crazy, I've decided to start a new business, too!

This week my kids went back to school.  We had a mellow summer and my schedule really slowed down.  Partly because the kids were home with me and I couldn't run around as usual and partly because I sprained my ankle and had to take it easy.   As soon as that bell rang Monday morning I was off like a crazy woman.  Going for runs (as the ankle allows,) back to Bikram Yoga, making jewlery, working on an art project, groceries, dishes.  It's exhausting!  I don't necessarily feel great for all the hardcore exercise even though I was so looking forward to getting back to it.  Ironically my ankle feels OK but my other foot hurts and my knees twinge. 

Yesterday I thought back to my summer, the mellow days.  The evening walks with Obi.  I felt good during the summer, I didn't gain weight, I kept up a regular but mellow exercise routine.  Maybe I don't need to work so hard all the time at fitting things in or staying fit.

Today I was planning to go to Bikram again but Obi and I detoured to the beach after walking the kids to school.  The ocean was so pretty.  The breeze lovely.  I stopped to take this picture

I stood still looking at the ocean for a minute. 
I saw a woman on a stand up paddle board moving at a leisurely pace right over a giant kelp bed.  Some distance away a man lay flat on a surfboard, not paddling anywhere, just floating.

Suddenlty out of nowhere an image of that bumper sticker popped into my mind. 

Easy Does It.

 

So I remind myself of some things I already knew and some new lessons:

 

It doesn't always need to be heart pounding exercise to do you good. 

 

I don't have to count calories all the time. 
I just need to eat healthy and wholesome foods.

 

I don't have to do it all.

There is no rush.

 

When I slow down, I actually seem to have more time and I get more done.

 

Easy Does It.

By the way, I love to read your comments so if you read my blog posts and have something to say, please don't be shy. 

You will make my day.