So Little Time...Where do I fit in?

I have found that the most frustrating thing about running is finding the time to do it. When you work a 45+ hour week and have a kid and a husband to take care of, not to mention two dogs and three cats, finding the time to get a run in is difficult. Thankfully I have been able to squeeze some short runs in on my work days. This I am thankful for. However, I am in need of kicking the mileage up a notch or two. Now where am I going to find the time for that? Maybe if I check eBay...

Okay I am off that soapbox about time. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I am still on my running streak. So far so good for the year 2013! I normally have a day or three of rest planned so this is a new adventure for me. Suitably though this streak fits in with my wackiness. I tend to do things gung-ho style and I will go all out. My concern is burn out. I really do not want to get burnt out on one of my "self helps", (as a therapist I need self care techniques or I will go coo-coo for cocoa puffs if you know what I mean).

Running is used as a self care, or self help technique for those crazy days where I have a lot of transference going on with my clients. I tend to hear a lot of crazy stuff and sometimes really traumatic stuff. I need to be able to compartmentalize what I am hearing and running helps me to do that. So you can see why I have a fear of burn out. My guess is that is why I have kept my mileage low during this streak. In my mind as long as I keep  my mileage low I won't get burnt out. I will keep my fingers crossed! :-)

On the subject of self care, (something other than running...WATCH OUT WORLD!!!), I also use the technique of Zentangling or tangling. This is a kind of doodling that one can learn that will keep you focused or in the moment. I find it incredibly helpful for self care. While some of the examples may look difficult, the technique is actually so easy. All of the designs and patterns are repetitive. If you can draw a stick figure you can doodle using this technique. Here are some of mine...

A Christmas card

Down time at home

Classroom doodle

This pattern is called Betweed

Made when I was having an anxiety attack. This doodle snapped me out of it.

THIS is my tag line. LIVE FULL COLOR!!

So while running is great I sometimes need to have some sit and quiet time. Although I also do my tangling during trainings, while listening to a podcast, sitting in a class, or sometimes just because I feel like my thoughts are unorganized and need to get grounded.

These are some of the things I love to do that help me to take care of me. I wanted to pass these things on to you. I will periodically toss out different things as I write entries  Because if we don't take care of ourselves...who will?? We might as well have some fun while we do it right??

Happy running...or tangling...or doodling...or skydiving... <3