Surviving!

Now that an incredibly busy semester has come to a close, it is time to return to my blog.  As the music making required more of my attention, it quickly became evident that some things simply had to be set aside in order to remain productive and sane.

Most of us don't invest our time in things that we consider unimportant. When schedules become packed, how do we determine what to let go? Sadly, the answer is not always clear.

Some things I let go were painful. I was simply too busy to read anything. Reading is my escape and a major form of relaxation. At times, I put all of my books out of sight so I wasn't reminded of what I was missing; at other times, I placed books around so I would look forward to the rest that was eventually coming.

I survived the crazy schedule by reminding myself that it was only for a short season. I'm a visual learner, so I posted all the important dates in my work area and erased each one as it passed. This simple activity became a time of celebration, reflection, and assessment. As another task disappeared, I breathed a bit more easily and steeled myself to carry on.

This semester has been tougher than most for many reasons. While I don't want to repeat such a difficult semester again in the near future, it is comforting to know that I have the tools to survive.