Wednesday 21 September 2011

Phrase of the week - You look terrible

Last week I was hit by a hideous cold. Everything ached. I was exhausted yet either couldn't sleep or dozed my way through the kind of dreams only a fever can bring on. My colleagues, when they weren't telling me that I looked really awful, compared me to a  zombie. Apparently it was something about my glazed eyes...


The only bright spots were that (a) I didn't have a blocked or runny nose - such are the perks of a vegan diet and that (b) I couldn't do anything but the basics. 


In a strange kind of way not being able to do more than the bare minimum necessary was very liberating. Usually I've got dozens of things I'm trying to keep track of, keep on top of and stay ahead of in all spheres of my life. Plus it's not enough for me to simply pay these things lip service I've got to make a really super special amazing job of everything to meet my own high standards. 


Last week  I was forced to reconsider my standards. I had to accept that dinner might be on the uninspired side. That my outfits wouldn't be perfectly planned. That I wasn't going to manage to do any of the stuff I had scheduled on Wunderlist. That  I wouldn't be playing bass for an hour each day. That clothes weren't going to get put away. That emails and phone calls likely wouldn't be returned. That  I wasn't going to start planning Christmas or make decisions about my pension.


And the world didn't end as a result of me not doing stuff. Our weekend house might not of had their visit planned down to the pre dinner snacks but they had somewhere to sleep and didn't starve. So while I clearly don't want to spend every night lounging on the sofa after a dinner of ready salted crisps I need to remember that sometimes it doesn't hurt to take a break. Everything that I'm picking up again this week feels fresher for the time away. I suppose this is why people take holidays. It's not the break from routine, it's the break from the person that the routine makes you.

2 comments:

Carla said...

Hugs for the cold, that's rubbish... but a well-timed and insightful reminder that everyone needs a break now and again... even us super-crafty women who like to try and do it all and then some! Hope you feel much better soonly! xxx

Mimi said...

So sorry to hear you have been under the weather! I hope you have recovered from the attack of the zombies now :-)

A few weeks ago I was trying to track down something for some cards I am making. I found eight or nine variations of the thing but none of them were quite right. Until I realised that nobody would know other than me, and something is better than nothing. Sometimes, it just isn't worth it.

It is really difficult, but very useful to come to terms with 'when good enough is enough'. Sounds like you did a great job last week!

Feel better soon! xxx

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