This Grandma's taking it easy, sort of

Ahhhhhh!!!!! (public domain photo)

Part of my journey to be good to myself involves the natural, yet not always thus categorized cure of taking it easy. I suck at it, folks. I'm a caregiver. Hello! It's both the least likely thing for me to do and the thing I need to do most.

I absolutely cannot sit still as long as there are things to do and people who need taking care of. I have to fight myself every step of the way just to sit and do nothing for 5 minutes out of the day.

I've taken to fooling myself lately. It's a weird solution, I know. Yet, it seems to be the only one that works.

For instance, I make sure that the room I am sitting in has absolutely no sign of needing a cleaning. The rest of the house is not my concern. I can't see it. Therefore, it is entirely possible to forget that there is something beyond my line of vision that needs to be done.

Or one would think so. Actually, it's not that simple when you are the head honcho. (Please don't tell my partner I am the head honcho.) He's a man. He thinks men are in charge. Let's not burst his bubble, just yet. I kind of like him, you know?

Anyway, since I have appointed myself head honcho of all things that need doing, there's another little thing I do. It's called “do everything, then sit down”. Now, admittedly, it's not quite as good an idea, since I still have to do the work. However, it's much easier to sit at peace when you know you have done all you can toward helping everyone and keeping the house, at least for the moment.

So, ya, I'm not quite there yet. I do, however, reward and entice myself by keeping peppermint foot lotion by the recliner I write in and a nice cup of my favorite tea within reach. So, at the very least, I sit down while writing. That is, unless one of the dogs needs out or someone of the human persuasion needs help with something or the dryer buzzer goes off or some salesmen shows up at the door.

Sigh.... I will get there.