It is rather hard to obtain perspective when you are moving to often and too fast. That’s how I feel, like a missile that was fired 3 years ago. I look back on the time and I wonder how I am left standing. In this time I have helped plan a wedding and married my wonderful wife. I have worked full-time, pursued my M.S.W full-time, worked two internships, co-founded SJS and maintained some semblance of a daily Buddhist practice.
Lately I have been a bit tired. It feels like the time has caught up with me, and I wonder how I ever got so busy for someone who is so naturally lazy. As I sit home between work and school, I sat down to do what I always do between work and school, a daily yoga practice. This is something I naturally made a part of my schedule. Today was a particularly tired day, but yoga never feels like something that takes from me. I did my first posture and stopped; i knew had to write this.
I felt better immediately after the posture, all the stress of my day melted away. This is probably not a first, but today struck a chord with me more then usual. Yoga gives, it gives immediately. It is not the sort of thing that takes time or practice, on your first day of your first hour, it gives.
Yoga is a part of my day, as necessary as eating or sleeping. Apparently the body recognizes that because it is almost as if it craves the postures, stretching and release. I cannot pinpoint the moment that it become necessary, a missile does not look back it plows forward, but it must have been sometime ago.
I am not 100% sure what I am trying to share here. This is not evidenced based practice, and I have used no scientific methods, I just felt the need to share it. I am not the only one who is biting off more then he can chew, it seems everyone is overworked, tired and wanting. I thought that my naked thoughts might inspire someone else. Take from it what you will.
I am reminded of reading the auto-biographies of Ghandi, and Nelson Mandella. Of all the things I can remember, their insistence on daily exercise particularly struck me. I think I even recall one of them saying how it become a necessary and natural part of their lives. I also believe both men did so in moderation, perhaps 30 minutes in the morning each day, but I will leave it to someone else to fact check. Still it stood out to me, that the most intellectual of men were insistent on such a thing. I can only give my eternal thanks to both of them for teaching this lesson, it is large part due to those words that I sit here closer to completion then exhaustion.
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I think your hectic lifetyle has caught up with you! I also had gone through part of my schooling working full time and attending college full time, but it kept me focused and I had a really good year! I also had no social life…….
It is not mentally or physically possible to attend a graduate program full time, work 2 jobs, be a husband and stay mentally alert! Eventually your body and mind will tell you to slow down…… usually that is when you get sick and stay in bed for a day or so to recharge your ‘batteries’
Enjoy life a little and as a future SW if you have gone for your MSW degree learn and live self-care!
Interesting perspective re: yoga though-tried it, didn’t like it-personally a walk with my dog out in nature and a massage make me a well rested and relaxed gal! If only therapeutic massages were more affordable…….
I can get sick AFTER finals 🙂
Of course, though better not to get sick and instead just have some down time…..with degree in hand of course!
Exercise is a HUGE part of a healthful life. As well as the occasional beer or wine….And as you get into the field, you MUST have a way to relieve stress. Not only does interaction with distraught people cause stress- and, actually, I’ve felt most rewarded and energized by that– the horrendous state of most social work management is often the largest factor in burn out. End of the day, per too many sw bosses, typos and correct forms mean more than actually helping someone.