Physician, Heal Thyself

I recently started writing again after a couple of months without much happening. It's a great feeling to be back at it.

So why had I stopped? Stress, busy lifestyle, and feeling too tired. I have a full-time job that pays the bills. It has these things called deadlines. And I have a micromanager for a boss that creates lots of stress for everyone when he is unable or unwilling to plan ahead.

I have been teaching part time (3 evenings a week). I work at promoting classes and teaching beginners. Beginners are hard to teach because they don't know anything about anything. I have to explain everything. Over and over again. I love to do it, but it's tiring.

My meditation teacher wants me to spend more time meditating. My tai teacher would like me to spend more time practicing tai chi. My boss would like me to spend more time working. I have taken on new responsibilities with the Tai Chi for Health community. I have a thousand books that I want to read. A few minor medical issues have come up recently that I needed to deal with. I have a self-imposed deadline to write for my blog. I haven't been sleeping enough because of all the stress.

I was tired and worn out and I needed to do something about it. I teach people to live a healthful lifestyle, but I wasn't practicing it enough myself. Physician, heal thyself.

I took a couple of months off from my teaching and writing. I do have a few students that are more advanced. These students are so much easier and much more fun to teach, so I kept on doing that. But no more beginners during that time. I survived a major deadline for a project at work. I got caught up on some of the things that had piled up on my desk. I read a lot. I watched a lot of movies with my wife. But mostly, I got back in the habit of practicing my tai chi.

We all know that "it takes time", and it did, but I am finding the energy again in my own practice. One way to express that is to start writing again. I recently purchased a new tai chi DVD, Dr. Lam's Chen 36 and started working my way through that. One new form each week. I sat down for a couple of hours today and wrote enough to get me a couple of weeks ahead in my writing.

I'm loving it.

Metta and blessings to all as we near the end of 2013 and get close to starting the new year.

© 2013 Eric Borreson