Creative Meanderings

Every time I think that I will have an extra moment or that we will have some extra funds it feels like something else comes up. In some cases the extras are negative and sometimes they are positive. It is definitely hard work to focus on the positives and to not get bogged down in the details of unimportance.

Today, it is my time that I am struggling with. There is some sense of pressure in needing to prepare for my trip as I am leaving in two days. It is almost hard to believe that this Bali Retreat is actually happening and that it has come. When I started my yoga certification course, I had no idea how I was going to make it work as I had not yet decided to quit working full-time. I left it to be sorted out later and it has! Still, I am trying to make sure that I catch up with people, do my tutoring sessions to have funds for the trip, run errands, etc.

So, while I had planned to have a bit of an easier and slower morning today, it has not quite worked out that way. However, my focus is on the fact that I do have an hour or so to post, write and generally take a few deep breaths. I actually had time to do a 25-minute meditation last night, which was a huge relief as I have been out of practice and need to be able to do 45-60 minutes for the retreat… 😐 Plus, this morning, I had to run an errand out at Yas Mall, so I combined it with a morning yoga class there as they are doing Ladies Mondays with alternating weeks of yoga and mall-walking. It worked out perfectly so that I could get in a free class on top of doing my errand. 🙂 Also, it was a nice chance to meet a few new people and make contact with the instructor.

I am realizing how all these little activities contribute to various effects later, so I am trying not to take any of it for granted even though it presses a bit upon my time. I need to learn to just relax with my idea of a strict schedule – even more than I already have! It is only myself who gets stressed and it is only me who it matters to overall, so, yes, deep breaths and a smile!

Sometimes we all require a shift in perspective to see that there are reasons for our unexpected extras whether good or bad. There is alway something to gain if we just look for it and keep plans flexible . 😀

~T 😀

Another day missed for posting and I didn’t realize it because my schedule is all out of whack right now. It is probably going to be this way for a few more weeks until after I get back from Bali for my yoga training retreat. However, in the meantime, I will try to adjust to a new routine.

So far, we have been doing reasonably well with going to the gym each morning – yesterday was a rest day, though. 😉  It feels nice to get up straight away and get the body moving as this is more my style of starting a day. 😛 M is starting to enjoy (may be a stretch?) it as well since the gym is just an elevator ride away. This weekend we have even worked out the health club use, so I think he is even more convinced to shower there each day, but we will see once the week begins.

Still, due to trying to get the apartment organized I have been a little off my schedule, which can have unsettling effects on me. Thankfully, we are just about finished with everything now. There are still a couple more boxes of books to get through and then there’s the dilemma of my academic books, but in general we are as organized as we can be until M’s stuff arrives from his storage.

Furthermore, I have started tutoring again. This time, instead of tutoring in English, I am tutoring a group of four young students in Japanese! Yep, you read that correctly. It has actually been quite fun and it is so nice to have students who actually want to learn. Since we have lessons three times a week for two hours, this also breaks up my schedule; however, at the end of last week I made our time later so that I can still have the mornings to get what I want done.

Finally, since we are getting up to the gym, this means that my yoga mat time needs to adjust along with meditation time. So, starting tomorrow, I am going to give getting up around 5am a go so that I can have about an hour to meditate before the gym. I do have to prepare for the retreat week as well, so it will be good for me to have this become the way I start my day. I have been missing the mindfulness time and noticed that my mind has gone back to flitting to and fro rather than staying focused. While I am still fairly calm these days, I need to be sure to take care of my mental state to keep calm and positive through this period that is not yet finished.

So, overall life is good and the new routine will come. Once I am back from my ‘holiday’, life will return to ‘normal’ or as normal as it can be for us. 😛 Breathe in, breathe out!

~T 😀