Setting A New Pace

I've never been one for new year's resolutions as, like most people, I set them with massive expectation and all the right intentions but often fall miserably short of actually implementing them into my day to day life. However, this year I feel the need to declare a resolution. It's not as much a "new year's" resolution as it is a wake up call that has been quietly boiling and bubbling under the surface and has finally reared its head and slapped me in the face! This reaslisation is nothing other than resolving to set the pace for my own life rather than letting life set the pace for me. Simple really but profound at the same time!  It's amazing what some time out of your 'normal' life can help you to realise and really change your perspective on things.

For a long time now, I've been trying to keep up with what I thought was the expected pace for all the 'shoes' that I wear. Admittedly, I do wear a lot of 'shoes', compounding the pressure and for all intent and purpose, resulting in me running numerous 'marathons' at the same time which inevitably leaves me spiritually dehydrated, emotionally fatigued, physically spent and not having enjoyed the journey a quarter as much as I would have had I chosen one route at a time. Perhaps that is putting it too literally as I know none of us has only one pair of shoes at any given time and it's difficult with today's demands to get through a single day wearing only one pair of shoes. I believe the secret is to choose carefully the shoes that you want to keep, the shoes that really aren't shoes at all but rather garments that you never truly take off. The other shoes, the ones that you don't want to keep, must be relinquished to those that do want to wear them and often wear them better than you ever will. Others you might lock away in the closet in case you ever need them again but really, buying a new pair of shoes for a new occasion is one of lifes fabulosities si o vote for chucking them.

So that's what I've decided to do - clean out my shoe cupboard, embrace the ones I keep, enjoy each pair for what it is and, above all, try not to wear all of them on the same day or at the same time. That way I can set my own pace and enjoy the journey, despite the distance. And of course, remember that its ok not to wear any shoes sometimes too.