Pot of Gold

“Sometimes it’s important to work for that pot of gold.  But other times it’s essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow.”  ~Douglas Pagels

This quote has a particular importance to me since I am working so hard for the pot of gold.  I have so many things going on in my life; I have forgotten to slow down.  Granted, all the things going on are great goals and I’m in the process of making my dreams come true.  I am in the middle of closing on my first home purchase and I am getting married to the man of my dreams in 46 days! So, my pot of gold I am building is for my house and my wedding.  I know it will all be worth it in the end, I just hope I am not going to sleep for my slide down the rainbow.

Many people get so caught up in working for the pot of gold that they forget how important their health is, and I don’t just mean not being sick.  Health encompasses so many aspects of someone’s life.  To me, it is finding a balance between spirituality, work life, family, friends, and most important myself.  I tend to forget about taking care of myself and always put everything else before me.  I figure if all other aspects are good then by default I will be good.  This philosophy can work as long as it is a temporary mindset, but for many it becomes a lifestyle.  Having a high level of stress and lack of sleep is very debilitating on your body and the effects may not be immediately noticeable so, it is so important to take care of yourself.  There are a number of ways to attain balance such as; a daily short meditation or prayer, exercise, good nutrition, getting a massage, and getting proper rest.

Here is an interesting fact that the National Sleep Foundation found from a poll they took “Effects of sleep loss on work performance may be costing U.S. employers some $18 billion in lost productivity” (1997).  Sleep is how our bodies repair the damage we have done.  It is imperative to get the proper sleep.  You can click here to see how much sleep you and your family need each night.  So, for all those people out there who stay up late and work instead of sleep could cause less productivity than you thought. I challenge you to make an attainable goal for yourself, where YOU are the focus.

Now that fall is here and the weather isn’t as good and with the upcoming holidays people tend to just get busier and wait till the new year to create new goals, but there is never a better time to take care of yourself than NOW.  My goal is to give myself 10 minutes of meditation each morning before I start my day.  I want to clear my head of all negative thoughts and start my day fresh and calm and be ready to take on anything.  What is yours?

Jennifer Buthmann, Marketing Director