Thursday, September 9, 2010

THURSDAY THOUGHTS - How Busy is TOO Busy?

I'm combining yesterday's Wordless Wednesday post with this one today, because I was just too darn busy to post anything yesterday. In fact, that's the subject of today's Thursday Thoughts...

Three years ago, I was a person who went about 150 miles an hour - I never rested, I said "yes" to everything, I was constantly busy. So much so, that my family and friends had started to bug me about slowing down. And then I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Cancer has a way of throwing up "Caution" signs, and "Stop" signs. And I did... STOP! I stopped working, cleaning, cooking, etc. And I started to focus on taking care of myself. Oh, it wasn't easy, believe me. Before cancer, Kara (me) too a backseat to EVERYTHING else. I felt kind of guilty, but I had to cut the stress completely out of my life so that I could focus on fighting the cancer, and healing. My husband and cute boys took over - they kept everything clean, they cooked, they took care of me. That went on for 1 1/2 years. When I started feeling better, I started doing a few things for other people. The better I felt, the more I did. And now, I find myself back in the same position I was 3 years ago. I'm so busy, I can hardly breath sometimes. Take the last 3 weeks, for instance: THIS IS ME RIGHT NOW...



Yep, this is the pink Wordless Wednesday - my hot pink cast. That's right, I had another surgery. But, did that stop me?! NO!!!! While hobbling around on this cast I've spent every spare moment helping my sister get ready for a children's charity sale - we've gone through and tagged over 2500 items! We have a non-profit charity foundation that we both run, and we just happen to be SUPER busy at the beginning of Fall and Spring. Today is the sale, and I'm stressing just a little bit because I can't help. Why? Well, today is also the day of our Sister Survivor's meeting and I'm supposed to hand out tickets to all of the wonderful women in our group tonight at the concert. Plus, I have to run around getting things ready for the Women's Expo this weekend. On top of that, I've got a sick child at home, who gets to have the wonderful experience of having a scope shoved down his throat today at the hospital! Not to mention, I work 3 days a week, and it's been mind-blowingly busy lately.

I'm not telling you this to show just how much I can do - because I know that probably most of you are exactly like me. Busy, busy, busy. My questions to you are: When do you say no? When is enough, enough? Why can't I learn to leave a little bit of time to take care of myself?!

One of our sweet Sister Survivors called and talked to me for a minute this morning, and before she hung up, she said "Thank you for everything you do. What you are doing is important". And, there's my answer right there... I do everything I'm doing because it's important. I promised myself that if and when I got better, I would spend some time helping others. It's important. Especially to me.

Yesterday, when I didn't make it home for dinner yet another night, my husband called me. In the course of our conversation, he asked me: "Why are you doing all of this?" It really made me stop and think. My first response was "It has to be done!" "If I don't do it, who will?!" When I finally shut my mouth enough to listen, he asked me again... "Why are you doing this?" And that's when it came to me - I don't do everything I do to get thanks, or feel important. I do it because it makes me happy, and I WANT to do it. I just need to carve out a little bit of time to take care of myself, and learn to budget the remaining time I have a little better.

Bottom line - I'm happy to be alive, and I'm going to make the most of it!

P.S. I get my cast off TODAY - HAPPY DAY!
-Kara

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