Help

I am not a materialistic person. I am generally satisfied with the many blessings I have in this life. Upon occasion, though, there are times when I am envious of the wealthy. Not for not for the stuff money can buy but for the way money makes life easier.

Long time readers of this blog will remember my Hazel fantasy, where I mentally go through what the day could look like if I had really great maid to help me along. I still dream of Hazel, but lately, I’ve been reading more about other services that might also be appealing, if only I had the resources.

Gwyneth Paltrow did a post in her blog about how her friend, who is a mother and an investment banker, manages such a full life. As a working mother, I am always looking for ideas on how I can be better at this,so I read the post with interest. And indeed, Gweneth’s friend is very good at balancing this life. Let’s start with this tip: “I start my day by having my personal trainer come to my house. It keeps me committed to my workout if I have someone showing up at my door first thing in the morning.”

Another celebrity with resources I admire is Oprah. She has a similar tip on how to eat a healthy diet, it’s called a personal chef. She said that having someone prepare her meals helps to ensure she’s eating a balanced healthy diet, the freshest food, and the right portions.

Then there’s writer Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat, Pray, Love fame. She got paid to take a year and travel to Italy, India and Indonesia. I read this book, got through her heartbreak and her eating journey in Italy, but I stopped relating to the story when she was halfway through India, meditating for four hours a day at an Ashram.

The thing is, I think it’s easy to care for yourself and discover inner peace when you have the time to dwell in a cave and focus on nothing else. It’s easy to stay in shape when your handsome, buff trainer (if I hired a trainer, I’d insist on these qualities) shows up at your door. Who couldn’t eat well when you have someone to shop, prepare and serve up beautiful meals on a lovely portion controlled plate?

But what about the rest of us? What about those of us whose time at the gym is limited, forcing us to stare down the woman on the elliptical so she’ll move it along? What about those of us who have to sell our families on how fun it is to eat grilled cheese sandwiches three days in a row because there’s nothing else in the fridge? How do you find inner peace when you are late and stuck in traffic on your way to pick up you child?

Well, you breathe, you smile, and you try again. Because some days that is the best that we can do. And it’s enough. Because finding inner peace in the chaos that is our daily lives is, I think, a peace that is more glorious because of the work you had to do, the stuff you had to overcome, to find it.

At least that’s what I tell myself. As usually, I believe it.

But lately, I haven’t quite been able to make it to the peaceful place. I need a little help to get there. I am kind of kind of one step away from inner peace.

So this weekend, I'm on a mission to recapture that inner peace. So for a couple of days, I am joining the likes of Gwyneth, Oprah and Elizabeth, and calling in some help. I’m chucking all my responsibilities and heading out to the Kripalu Yoga center for the weekend. I’m attending a workshop called Creative Comfort, doing yoga, eating healthy food prepared by them, and engaging in some deep mediation.

Ommmm and Yummmm.

I don't know where I'll end up at the end of this weekend, but I do know that just asking for this help and creating the space and time for this experience, was probably the most important part of the weekend.

As part of the retreat, we had to put together images, pictures of our selves, and quotes that are meaningful to us. I keep a box of such things and as I was going through them, I found this quote that was on a card that I loved.

“When she desperately clutched her dreams they would often wiggle free and swim away, it wasn't until she learned to swim that it became clear...they were trying to show her the way...

Inner peace to you this weekend!