It can be great, can’t it – being busy I mean. Whether with work, homelife or with friends and family. When you’re doing something you enjoy it can be a real pleasure to be with other people or being busy with our work. Time seems to pass by so quickly and, before you know it, it’s the end of the weekend or the end of the week, or the end of the month or year! I hear so many people at the moment saying things like “where does the time go?” and “I can’t believe we’re nearly at the end of 2009 already!”. Time is moving on. What’s that phrase “time and tide wait for no man” – and it is so incredibly true. As we get older time seems to go by a little quicker each day. Esoterically of course that is also actually happening with the Earth spinning slightly faster each year. But enough of that for now…

So back to this "time whisking by us" business. Like I said – it can be a lot of fun being around other people. But there also comes a time when we need to rest and take time out for ourselves. This can seem a bit tricky for those with families and children – as there always seems to be something that needs doing or some need that others have that you need to meet or deal with. Where does it all stop though? When do you get to the point where you have to say “enough” or you’ll drop? Should we even be allowing ourselves to get to the stage where we’re nearly dropping before we say “enough”?

The short answer to that, of course, is no. Now I know there are people who will be reading this and saying “well that’s easier said than done” and words to that effect. Excuse my bluntness people – but that’s just an excuse. You’re allowing yourself to be a bit of a victim. Now I know there are some who won’t like to hear that and may even switch off from here, and that’s fine. There are times, though, when we need to wake up and smell the coffee. Ask yourself this: would you knowingly put other people through the pressure you put yourself under at times, with the understanding that it could potentially make them ill or break them? Of course you wouldn’t. So what makes you any less deserving of time out and support from others?

Christmas is a typical time when people are running about like headless chickens trying to get everything done so that “everyone has a good time”. What about you though? How does it feel to be so knackered from sorting everything and everyone else out that you’re too tired to enjoy it yourself? “ah but it’s for the Children” (Christmas that is). I’m not going to use my usual word here, suffice to say it begins with a ‘B’ and ends with an ‘s”! Nonsense! Christmas is for enjoying for everyone who wishes to take part. So this year, instead of whisking about like a blue-bummed-fly – think about what needs to be done. To whom can you delegate things? From whom can you ask for help? Does it all really need to be done? If you hear yourself saying things like “I must” or “I can’t” or “I’ve got to” you need to take a step back and ask yourself why you’re giving your power away. We all choose what to think and what to feel and, more importantly, we ALL have a choice about whether or not we do something. Of course there are going to be outcomes from our choices – and we can decide whether those outcomes would be acceptable to us or not. But we ALWAYS have a choice.

So as you’re preparing yourself for the season’s festivities this year, make sure you build in some time out for yourself. Ask for help where and when you need it, and don’t allow yourself to fall into the mode of being a martyr or victim. You are just as deserving of a good time (and quiet time when you need it) as everyone else. Now… go get that mince pie and put your feet up for 10 minutes!