eliminate..

When life gets busy and a little (a lot) overwhelming, I find myself eliminating the things that would normally occupy my daily thoughts and 'to do' lists.  I tend not to run around fraught, trying to cram in the zillion too many things to do, even though those things exist, they unconsciously get pushed to the back in some kind of manageable order of priority.  Some I suppose never get air time and just fall by the wayside, not forgotten but not done.

The part of me that deals with the 'busy' kind of shuts down, or maybe takes control is a better way of looking at it.  I think it's a strategy for coping with the big stuff.  My brain switches into survival mode and this way I can manage the most important things first.

So much of the big stuff is consuming me right now, yet ridiculously I find myself extremely calm and sometimes even with hours to spare, but I don't start something new to fill in the time.  I've eliminated the not necessary so that all I'm focusing on is keeping this little family and home running.  This is the most important stuff after all!

Helping little people to navigate their way through playground politics.  Being aware of the individual needs of three very different little boys, they all have their own big stuff going on too.  Making time to hear them, nurture their bruised spirits and share their triumphs is not always an easy feat with so many other life distractions.

Then there's my man.  Big is almost an understatement for whats going on in his world at the moment.  As much as I try to be available to him, to listen, support, love, I'm sure I'm not doing enough.  He's strong and capable and I take for granted that his own coping mechanisms are all in check.

What keeps us both positive, for the most part, is knowing what is just ahead.  We are coming to the end of a chapter and preparing to begin a new and very exciting one.  In just a couple of months more, we'll be working together (eek!) running our own business and following dreams.  Things will be very different.  I'm sure it's going to take some time for us to find our feet, but when we do, life is going to be pretty darn great!

My hubby will be saying goodbye to corporate, a life of travel, of playing the game, of forever feeling compromised.  I'll be filling those spare hours working pretty much full time from home where I will still be available if the boys are sick, or to help out at school on all those special days.

So until then, I make time to breathe, I eliminate the not necessary and brace myself for the future...