Eating your cake

Time is a limiting factor to the number of things that you can do. There is a point when taking on something new means compromising, or giving up, something else.

If you'd like to study part-time, on top of your day job, those all-day weekend braais with family and friends have to be reduced or eliminated. If you sign up for ceramic classes on Wednesday evenings, your usual 2-hour training session will be compromised.

I'm often juggling a number of projects and commitments at one time and I've often wondered just how much I can take on without letting something slide.

For some time my training has not been as consistent or lengthy as it used to be. Sure, I get out, but I'm just not putting in as much preparation and cross-training as I want to.

This reflects the one area of our lives, "me time", that is so easy to neglect in favour of other more demanding commitments that need a lot of effort to develop and maintain.

I recently gave up one commitment and with it gained the realisation of how much space I made in my life by compromising on other activities.

This past Saturday morning I went to my first yoga class in almost 2-years. I have needed - and wanted - the stretching, focus and tranquility of the discipline but I just have not been able to commit to it.

I also have not been to step aerobics classes for almost the same period. Prior to this lapse I had attended the most of the weekly advanced classes for 12-years.

These two things sound small but they are linked to others that are important to me.

The lesson in all of this is that we all have a limit to what we can commit to. Taking on new hobbies or activities requires the drastic reduction or deletion of an existing commitment. And usually the things eliminated are personally important and beneficial. They usually make way for tasks that revolve around other people; and your gran probably doesn't even realise what you have to shuffle to take her shopping every Saturday.

It is good to again enjoy these activities - and others - that are good for both my body, mind and spirit.