Saying "NO!" to the busyness of life!!

Think about your day, your week, your month, your life. Is it too busy?

In our society, we have lots of pressure to be busy! Are you always on the run to get your kids to school, to school activities, to church activities, to sports practice, to piano practice or to get yourself to the gym, to the store, to church or other activity? 

What if we said "NO!" to the busyness of life?  What would that look like? Is it even possible?

It IS possible. We've been doing it. It's been hard as there is lots of pressure to be involved in everything! Be prepared to upset some people because you've said no to their activities. Be prepared to hear how you're sheltering your kids or how you're cheating them of the opportunity to _________ (fill in blank with any activity) or how they won't be well rounded. Be prepared to hear how you are cheating yourself out of "you" time or how you are letting them down because you aren't putting their cause or activity first! But, it is possible! And I believe it's beneficial to you & your family.

I think one thing that has helped us is that we homeschool. We don't have the pressure that public school puts on your family. We aren't tied to their schedule. We don't have to schedule life around school. We can schedule our school work around life. We can pack up & travel with hubby anytime we want. We just grab our school books & take them with us!

We didn't make a big decision to step back from the busy life, we just kind of evolved into it. It started with deciding not to get involved in a lot of sports that everyone else was involved in. Then we decided to travel some with hubby so we could be together as a family. That decision led to missing some church activities & neighborhood activities, but it has strengthened our family.

I've found the more we focus on family, the easier it has been to say "NO!" to other things. I like not having to run out to activities every night of the week. I like being able to concentrate on my family! I love playing games with my hubby & kids! I love being able to pick up & travel with them! I love having the time to just cuddle on the couch & watch a TV show or movie as a family! I feel like we've gone back to the time when family was #1 & outside activity was just an occasional thing! My kids may not be able to play soccer & baseball & basketball & play piano  or boast about the myriad of other "activities" they've done, but they should be able to look back & say "My family had fun together & family was very important to my mom & dad!"

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with any of the things I've mentioned. Sports are good. Church activities are good. Other activities are good. The problem comes when we feel, due to the pressure of this culture, that we have to do everything or we are bad parents or bad people if we don't.

So, we will continue to step back & say "NO!" to the busyness of life! My children will only be young for a little while & I want to treasure this time & not spend it rushing from one activity to another! What about you?