Are you TOO busy to do the things you love?

"I think we keep very busy because it is a kind of opium"
(Robert E. Quinn)

So, there are times when you are busy doing a lot of things that
you don't really want to do.
You have responsibilities that you must do.

And there are other times that you are really busy
doing things that you like doing

And pretty soon, you are spilling over with opportunities.
This is exciting, right?

And then you realize that you don't have time to do the things
you've always wanted to do.

Why? Because you're so BUSY, of course.
This is the hardest part of being successful.
It's hard to say no.
It's a bit easier to say no to things you don't like doing in the first place. It is REALLY HARD to say no
to things that you enjoy doing!

Elizabeth Gilbert says:
"You need to learn how start saying no to things you DO want to do, with the recognition that you have only one life, and you don't have time and energy for everything."

Earlier this week, the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute sent out an email with a link to this video with Lisa Dion explaining how she is
using the sand tray as a regulation tool.

And, of course, it made me want to play in the sand
As I did, what came to me was to this question:
How much sand can I hold without any spilling over?

I noticed what it felt like to have it going through my fingers and thought about projects where details are falling through the cracks.
I thought about places I felt overwhelmed and
noticed the weight of the sand in my hand.

And then, I started experimenting with LESS.

How much sand did I have to say no to before I could
hold it all easily?

This required multiple attempts.
I overestimated my ability to handle it all.
I was getting frustrated. I want to be able to hold ALL OF THIS, but sand kept spilling over. Sand kept falling through the cracks.

And then, I got it.
A very small amount of sand was all I could really hold.
So I noticed that.

I noticed what it was like to have it contained. I noticed how much lighter it was. It was manageable.

I'm curious what comes up for you as you look at the difference in those two pictures?
What do you notice in your body?

You won't find this example in Lisa's video, but you might find other ways in Lisa's video that the sand tray feels regulating to you.

You might notice that when you are feeling overwhelmed with the business of life that you can find tools to help you regulate.
For me, this happens often in the sand tray.

But I also find regulation in my journal writing.
Often, I start in the sand and then journal about it.