my life inside the box

by Cynthia Hayes

No, not that kind.

Think … shedding excess junk in your life. Letting go of people and activities that are dragging you (and your family) down.

Somehow unhealthy things quietly slip into our lives. It usually shows up disguised as innocent and labeled “good” so we don’t mind it at first. Then, seemingly out of nowhere we find ourselves completely drained, frustrated, and anxious. We’re left wondering where our peaceful lives went.

We often justify the new stress as something “normal” that comes with our aging children. Or we might explain the new tension as “positive stress” because we’re doing something “good” for someone else. Truth is, we are denying ourselves peace and fun times with our families all because we fall for the old trick that “one more activity won’t matter” or “if I don’t do it, no one will.”

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m the first person to respond to a friend with a true need and I do want my kids to have opportunities to learn new skills. But there needs to be a line. When we take on things we weren’t meant to have on our plates, no one wins. We’re not setting good limits on ourselves and we’re not setting a good example for our kids to follow.

• Choose wisely.
• Periodically take inventory of your activities, your kid’s activities, and your friendships.
• Begin stripping away the ones that are draining so that you make room for the good stuff.

At the end of the day…. Stripping does any body good.

Take a second and comment with a favorite family activity that you would never “strip” and you could win a Starbucks gift card. Contest open until April 6.