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When is ‘enough’ enough?
Wilma and Ann-Marie working on do-ing enough during a WomenLikeMe meeting.
‘When is enough enough’ is a question I am sure Shakespeare would have loved to tackle if he had had a blog.
But seeing as he didn’t, I will give it a shot.
Life is busy.
There is a lot going on.
I have things to attend to, people to take care of and many tasks to complete.
On top of all that, I also have this blog as part of our fledgling business.
I am rushed off my feet most days and while at the end of some days I am knackered, I still question if I have done enough????
Hello Hello! What do I think I am so knackered from? What do I mean; have I done enough?
Yet, that question does pop up.
In the worst case scenario it causes anxiety and feelings of overwhelm. I even seriously consider that indeed I might not have done enough and that I should go and do some more.
Jeez, here I am knackered with a lot to show for it and I still want to flog this tired horse because it has not done enough?
If you too get a feeling that something doesn’t compute here, high five to you, because it doesn’t.
It does not compute as there will never be a state of having done ‘enough’.
NOT in this world, how it is today anyway.
Even if I did work harder, I will never be able to answer; “when enough is enough.”
‘Enough’ has become an extinct concept, a word whose meaning we no longer know, so how can I pursue it?
In the world we live in, there is only ‘more’ or ‘less’.
If you do not believe it then look around you.
Look at your clothes, do you see enough or do you see too many?
Now open your bank account, do you see enough or do you see something else?
Check your weight, is it enough?
Now consider what you do. Is it enough or do you see an endless stream of more shoulds? Humm??
And last but not least, when you open your computer and connect to the internet what do you experience?
Do you see enough or are you, like me, confronted with a wild beast whose hunger is never satisfied?
This new thing in my life called ‘blogging’ certainly has me struggle with “when is enough enough”?
And I do not like that at all, because it increases my anxiety level big time and that’s not a good look for a woman who wants to be free and peaceful.
But as soon as I open that darn computer the cyberspace noise totally engulfs me.
When fearfully driven by that dreadful question, all I can see is the extent of what there is to do and I immediately start to fret that there is no way I can do it all.
So yes, although I am aware that it is impossible, what am I to do?
I see all my friends’ latest posts, carefully crafted from beginning to end and I want to read and honor them with commenting. Then there are all the notifications on Facebook about who has been active and it is never me.
I hear Twitter and Stumble Upon growling, all beasts wanting to be fed if only I knew when and what to feed them with?
So on and on it goes, cyberspace being a reflection, a mini version of my life, with so much wanting my attention and me in continuous overwhelm if I am not careful.
It all leaves me with the unanswerable question “when is enough enough?”
In this last year I certainly have seen that that question is unanswerable; I do not have any idea about what ‘enough’ actually is, let alone how to measure it.
I therefore will ignore this question as it is not useful and consider that whatever is done is always enough and when doubt creeps in I will do less and certainly never do more.
Because why lower myself to rush around like a lunatic, as all lunatics do is spend a lot of energy doing stupid things; I know I have been one . . . often.
It is this part in WomenLikeMe that really resonated with me this week;
As you listen to your Little Voice, you will notice that you have a built-in dominator that is firmly in control and you are a well trained slave, doing its dominating bidding.
To observe your built-in dominator look at your behavior; do you live each day joyfully, creating and manifesting? Are you freely choosing your relationship with your ‘Structures’ and do you love what you do peacefully and confidently?
Go to WomenLikeMe for more on The Structures Explanation.
When I do less, at least I have time to think, I am able to prepare, I am capable of doing mini meditations that clear my head and what is more it brings me peace; I am BE-ing ME.
When I let go of anxiously pursuing that elusive enough, I can finally take the time to listen to my heart-centered self. That is the intelligent one connected to the Source and it shows in the results.
When I open my computer coming from that heart-centered place, I no longer see an insatiable beast, but a group of friends who appreciate quality and a fully present be-ing, who connects peacefully from the heart.
When I live my life coming from that place of; I always do enough, I am no longer dominated by outside Structures.
I am free to finally trust and connect to Source via my heart-centered self and BE the love that I AM in action.
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I was dealing a bit myself with the Internet “Insatiable Beast,” recently, but realized my experiential self-imposed 3x weekly MWF blogging schedule was defeating my blogging happiness purpose. Schedules for me and blogging — yuck! Posting when I am thrilled to do so — yay!!
I love your image of heart-centered way to live. Love will always take us home if we relax into it and realize that every one of our thoughts, words and deeds can come from the pure love we are all made of.
Beautifully inspiring, thank you!
Jannie Funster´s last blog ..Gratitude
Hi Jannie, oh your creative soul got it in one.
Yes, self imposed domination, you wonder where we got that from and how we fall for it.
I know though, fear drives me, fear that I loose out, fear that I will fail if I don’t work myself to the bone, and I know how to work hard but I never learned how to work smart.
And then what Jannie, then what! With our hard work we so defeat our purpose.
You, me, we all are such creative souls whom all get buried under busyness and then we all become clones with not much interesting to say anyway.
So we all read each others cloned blogs, yeaaah, what good will that do.
Oh Jannie, I felt so relieved once I got to see what was going on and how I was doing the same as you. Imposing hard work and killing off the heart-centered self.
Ha, but no longer. I am so pleased that you got to see what you were doing and that you had the courage to act upon the wholesome ‘what is so’ that your heart-centered self uncovered.
At least we get to enjoy your beautiful songs, your beautiful self-expressed you.
I rather have that to enjoy over and over again than lots of posts written from duty.
Jannie, high five and the biggest hug, you are inspiring, xoxo Wilma
Hi Wilma,
Amen for taking the time to listen to our hearts!
When I was in my early twenties, I used to be the kind of person who worked really hard to please and tried to do as much as possible. I used to feel that no matter how much I did, it was never enough. I was the typical Type A personality…driven, determined and a perfectionist. Then my life fell apart into little tiny pieces which was a huge blessing.
As a result, I learned that the way we do something is much more important than doing all that is expected. When something is done with full attention and love it generates far better results than doing something half-heartedly or following a system that is supposedly a guaranteed success.
We each have our own tempo and gifts…it is important that we be true to what our core self is instead of trying to be something we are not.
The interesting and funny thing about blogging is that every one wants to follow a set method. Yet every single person who became a success on the Internet never followed a set method.
The Universe is not stupid. Someone can cheat the system and succeed for a short time but anything that is to be sustained requires quality. You my dear friend, have quality. Keep being the awesome person you are and keep shining bright!
Nadia – Happy Lotus´s last blog ..A Different Take on Being Happy at Work
Oh Nadia, you sure worked on this learning; “I learned that the way we do something is much more important than doing all that is expected.”
Discerning the way of your heart-centered self is such a journey, because I so agree that HOW we do things, WHO we are be-ing when we do things, is the key to cooperate with the whole of the universe, ourselves included.
However go and tell your examiner that or your teacher or your boss or anybody with authority over you.
It sure takes guts to stand up and say; “NO” to this slave driver that is now built in.
I think we both know that and yet it certainly has taken me a while to get AND stay there.
Nadia,I so love hearing about your plans to enjoy the snow, go Nadia go, I love about hearing you taking ‘enough’ time out to figure out what your next move will be.
It so encourages me to hear others thinking and acting like this, it all helps to stay on the untrodden path.
Nadia, I love our mutual support and encouragement, big hugs Wilma
Hi Wilma — yes, we all seem to think we can find “enough,” even though scientists have been unable to find it even with the most precise electron microscope. Whoever finds it gets the Nobel Prize in my book.
Also, in the photo, Ann-Marie appears to be using a laptop made out of wood. If she is, please let me know where to get one!
Oh Chris, I think I would like to totally scrap the ‘enough’ as a measurement relating to people’s BE, DO and HAVE.
Per definition we ARE, DO and HAVE enough as a given, what are we doing chasing such an elusive thing. It is only giving me grief, what do you reckon?
Oh boys and their toys, trust you to notice the wooden contraption. When I put the photo up I knew someone could wonder and you are not disappointing me, Chris.
Well, we are about doing things differently, so there you have it, a miraculous wooden computer which also can be used as a stand for the microphones when we are recording audios. Did you also notice the mud-brick blocks, we live in a mud-brick house.
Hi Wilma
Oh how beautiful and powerful was this!!!
I have to tell you, when it comes to all this computer and blogging stuff, I so hear you and so agree. There is “too much” between all the social media stuff, and pressure for traffic and friends to connect with and blogs to read and articles to write, that indeed it can take us on an unpleasant whirlwind sometimes. I have to tell you I got a big taste of this when I resigned from my teaching job last June and this fall was a full time “blogger”/writer/working from home on computer, etc…. My days filled up so fast and I never felt like I did enough. That was until I said enough is enough.
Today I remind myself of what I teach others, in the end it is about how we were “being” not how much we were doing. That is when life becomes not just fun, but meaningful.
So Wilma if it helps, I truly in my heart believe there is an enough. I feel it in other areas of my life, and I know it is possible in the “world wide web” too – I don’t have it all figured out and balanced out just yet, but like I said because I know first hand it exists in other areas, I strive to make it exist in this area too.
P.S. If you have not already, check out Cheryl Richardson’s book “The Art of Extreme Self Care” – it is so good at making us really learn to take care of ourselves properly, especially as women
Evita´s last blog ..Essential Energy With Cyndi Dale: The Shopping List of Opposite Sexes – Significance versus Security
Hi Evita, this is it;
It sure is about Be-ing, be-ing peaceful and secure in an inner knowing rather than be-ing driven by fear. Enough is actually knowing we are perfect just the way we are and accepting that what we have done is always enough when we come from being love-in-action.
Yet, accepting is not something we have learned to do very well and thus we are still very susceptible to outwards pressure and outwards measurements; we are lacking discernment that is our own.
And yes Evita, when we can arrive at this in some areas, we can sure do it in all areas of our lives. However we are sometimes more attached to certain outcomes in certain areas and that is where we are prone to fretting as we so want to succeed and do well.
And looking after ourselves so we are not letting overwhelm get to us is a thing we also have to learn to stop that enough question getting the better of us and Cheryl is sure a good woman to have around :~)
Oh, there is still work to do, but becoming aware is a great start, xox Wilma
Wow! In rereading all the comments above I realized that I thought “I” was the ONLY one battling with this “internet beast”. I guess I saw everyone else has seeming to handle it with total ease. I didn’t think that I was “less than”, I just didn’t know what everyone else was doing that made it possible. LOL!! So it does me could to see that others are also in the midst of trying to find balance. I wish we could somehow extend this whole conversation to see what we all DO to bring about that balance. Not JUST what we do inside, like taking hikes, meditation, and so on, but ALSO the practical aspects like cutting down on posting, or responding to comments, or how is Facebook/Twitter handled, and so on. So from both the inward and the outward ways of handling it. I guess for me, I know I will start by listening to my heart, letting go of fear that no will visit my site, LOL!!
JUST letting go…period. As much as I can, do ONLY what keeps me STILL in balance.
This is a GREAT post Wilma. Thank you, Love, Robin. —Also give my love to Ann-Marie. She is in my thoughts and prayers each day.
Robin Easton´s last blog ..Forgiveness
Hi Robin.
Yes, the tension between what we ‘innately know’ and how to do life and what our hierarchical ego tells us what me must and should do is causing this confusion about ‘enough’.
Yes i guess we all grapple with this;
Our ego flogs us to death Robin, our ego is the one who says if you do not do more your blog/business will die.
If we do as our heart says, we only post as often as we can manage and we will ensure that our post are valuable and quality, like you already do.
Our heart dares to try out posting once a week or even once a month if that is what we can manage.
Our heart let us see the wholesome ‘what is so’ and give good guidance about what to do in daily life and how busy to get.
Our heart can say ‘no’ and trust that people still love us and still want to know us and our heart dares to ask other people how they do it, like you just did.
And if the ones who anwer let their heart speak you get an authentic answer. If their ego speaks you are not getting much the wiser.
Robin, I am learning to be courageous enough to follow my heart and to let go of the domination of the blogging beast or any material beast for that matter.
Domination is coming from ego, which behaves like a stupid inner hierarchical fear driven hypocrit, and ego only let me do stupid things.
When I take regular breaks so I can get my thoughts together, I will connect with wisdom AND I also will find answers to what practical steps to take.
THAT will actually happen and it also will let me ask questions of other bloggers like you. My ego will never ask, but my heart will and will allow me to together wiht others find answers.
That is what I am learning on our own learning program Women Like Me and for that I am so grateful.
I get encouraged to face these daily life questions of enough for example, I feel safe to ask these daily life questions from my heart so we can explore them together authentically.
I love using the new explanations that give me new insights and that are useful for my daily life so I can have the courage to practice doing things differently.
Oh Robin, there is such a gap between who we are and how this current world allows us to operate.
It is often so painful to see the unecessary struggle we subject ourselves to becasue we do not know any better how to apply who we are to our daily living. The gap is huge but we are observing it and working on stepping over the chasm that devides the world from how it is and how it is meant to be.
THAT is exciting, we are standing at the edge of that chasm, and some of us are preparing to jump.
Lots and lots of love my friend, Wilma
Wilma
I love this post, and your reader comments.
Enough is enough when you feel content. Some days that is minutes, some days hours…but when you feel full, it’s enough. Some days that’s an entire wardrobe closet, some days it’s your favorite t-shirt.
As for blogging and computer related work, my best days are those that I am looking for inspiration and hours fly by with so much inspiration, when I am open and my ehart is ready….my least best are those that I think “I should”….but that rule applies to my life as well. The moment I think “I should” something other than openness to unfolding takes over…something perhaps called will/Ego, so I acknowledge it, then set about accomplishing “I should not”…and that leaves time for much needed rest, relaxation, joy, beauty. Perhaps “I should” is fear based, and “I should not” is faith based, but an open heart is pretty much essential as my barometer.
Much peace….
Hi Joy, I absolutely think we all can relate to this;
Yes when we are be-ing love-in-action that question doesn’t even come up. Our heart knows what is good for us, it is our mind who is the slave driver, our heart-centered self will only go for energizing activities and can set boundaries.
The ’shoulds’ are mind generated activities and the mind has no idea about boundaries and enough. Only the heart knows, only the heart can say ‘no more’ and knows that that is okay. You got it again in one when you say;
Yes, when enough is no longer the driver, things change considerably.
So I am certainly watching that ‘enough’ barometer and when I see I am using that one I switch to my heart one.
Oh Joy, discovering all this gives me so much joy and peace, I love that I am able to verbalize it, it makes such a difference to word this and ti so makes my mind/ego go quiet.
Having the words also allows me to translate what my heart wants to say.
You go and follow that heart of yours and rest and relax and have faith, you are doing so well, love Wilma
Hi Wilma – Beautiful post, which could not have come at a better time for me. I just wrote about play, and the realization that it is sadly lacking in my life. And I’ve just come off a weekend where I did not turn on the computer for three days. Bliss. I love blogging and the community surrounding it, but if I am not careful it is an addictive beast that has too many strings attached. I applaud you for getting to that heart-centered place when you open your computer; personally, I can only do that if I draw some strict boundary lines around it. Not only is less my new motto, but I’m also throwing in some purposelessness.
Patty – Why Not Start Now?´s last blog ..Meaning Mondays: The Purposelessness Edition
Oh Patty, you are such a beautiful playful soul, get it back!
I know how we can let things get to us, like you say here; I love blogging and the community surrounding it, but if I am not careful it is an addictive beast that has too many strings attached.
Yes, too many strings and what are they pulling? Do friends expect you to be there as often as we see our blogging pals?
When there is real connection, when there is authenticity and love-in-action there are no strings, just loving waves we can ride and who will bring us joy.
Patty, life is abundant but that doesn’t mean we have to eat it all.
I have noticed that moderation again is not our strength, and the enough question only stems from NOT knowing moderation and feeds of greed, scarcity and preceived lack and competition.
I am with you all the way with your new motto of less; oh Patty, let us play and know that once we are connected, we always do and are enough when our heart-centered self is involved.
Lots and lots of love to you, my playful friend, xox Wilma
Hi Wilma,
We will truly thrive in each others company for sure 
Talk about a hot topic..and here you have hit a hot hot topic for sure!
Ever since i started blogging..i have been going through something similar to you. I open my computer…and i seriously dont know what to do first…check the blog..check the email..check facebook..twitter…then reading commenting…I know its never ever enough..cause i almost always reach my favorite friends posts last!
But i have come to a decision this year….rather i have come to realize that this was literally causing me anxiety rather that satisfaction and peace. The main reason i started the blog was to help….and I KNOW I am doing that…why write or do so many things…just to be IN like everyone…??
So i have set a blogging routine…ok the routine goes like this “heart priority wise”. ..only when i have the time to do it happily without 20,000 other things going through my head.
If i am not fully present in what i am doing…then what am i really doing in the first place??? I am just fooling myself…
So in simple words..I am letting my heart rule my blog…not social media or being the IN thing….
I am still not sure where the ENOUGH point is…..but I know when my heart just isnt in it…thats when i stop and do something else that my heart desires.
I told you…this is a hot hot topic!!
Lets make a little club of all heart bloggers
Much love always,
Z~
Oh Z, this truely is a heart-centered comment, thank you, thank you.
I really believe that we need to break this domination of do-ing and that it is time for us to go back to the basics of living and to love what we do first and fore most.
We need to go back to become be-ings who are do-ing love-in-action, rather than working our butts off for money, to look good or just because the amount of structures we have to look after in our life are so many and emanding that there is no time to love.
Oh Z, there you are at the other end of the world and understanding this.
When people say that the end of the world in 2010 is near, the end of this money and busyness story is near. We need to create another way of living, this plundering of the world and our soul has to stop. Nobody benefits, nobody.
We need to go back to loving what we do, to be-ing authentic so we know what is being done and said comes from the heart and has no hidden agenda. Then we learn to trust again as the whole world becomes transparent and loving.
Oh Z, imagine that. And indeed we can start with this new phenomenon, this blogging community by be-ing authentic with each other and to play a new game with new heart-centered rules free from domination and overwhelm.
Z, a very big hug to you, xox Wilma
Hi Wilma! Oh what a post! Can’t we all join in? Of course. We’ve all been there or ARE there right now. I slip from time to time and get all caught – mostly here in the blogosphere more than any other area of my life. But here is my take on this “enough” stuff.
Life is a banquet table. If we make the choice to eat healthy, eat a balanced diet, and reasonable portions at that, we are fine. No indigestion. No stuffed feeling. No weight gain. Now if we approach this table like somebody who has been locked in a closet, and we pig out, take several platefuls of food, sure as shootin’ we’ll not feel well afterwards, will we? We could throw up half or all of it. We’ll feel rotten and often miss dessert.
So what is enough at this banquet table? (I wouldn’t start at the dessert end either! ha)
It’s balance. And it’s knowing what balance is. You don’t need a whole tub of butter on that slice of bread.
That’s my metaphor story and I’m sticking to it! LOL!
Hugs
suzen
suzen´s last blog ..Dr. Feelgood on Feeling Good
Hi SuZen
Yes moderation is a very fine skill to have and I love your banquet metaphor.
Greediness never pays off and yet we are obese from eating toooo much, we are exhausted from working too hard and we fear it all will run out when we turn our back to go and play and rest.
Moderation is something we really need to learn again but who is teaching us and why do most of us still gorge ourselves and put that tub of butter on one slice of bread?
Oh SuZen, we all need a Millie and a you and others in our lives, so we can learn from each other when we feel the tendency to overdo things.
xox and hugs, Wilma
The greatest thing about living in an energetic world where we’re all connected is that you are not alone in how you feel. Many of us (thousands, I’m guessing) have felt that cyberspace guilt or nagging, and recently, too! “Just one more blog! Wait, you didn’t read so-and-so’s yet… What about a FB update? People will FORGET YOU EVEN EXIST!” Yikes… If that’s the case, then I really am in trouble! But I know it’s not. It’s just (as you so eloquently pointed out) my little voice thinking I exist only to be seen or heard. Such nonsense!
I loved your last paragraph and that, to me, is summed up as such: if it feels good, do it. If it doesn’t, don’t.
Less is more, they say. I’ve been living that more easily these days, and it does feel so very good!
Megan “JoyGirl!” Bord´s last blog ..5 Amazing Ways to Bring the Joy Back to Your Job
Megan, oh it sure is such a wonderful experience to be heard and encouraged by people who really connect and I mean authentically hear what you are saying. THANK YOU for listening.
I laughed when I read this;
Yes, when we let our heart-centered self speak, that is what it would say; “are you crazy to think like that? What false world do you live in?”
However my Little Voice has time and time again overshadowed that by saying; “Yes, they will forget you, see the stats are down when you don’t show up. Here is the proof, so get on with it before you fade away or end up a nobody, you haven’t done enough, ever.”
Oh Megan, it took some doing to stand up to the bully within myself, I even found it hard to admit I had this bully in me, it sounds so stupid.
I also am still very afraid of failure and not being able to make the business work and I am ashamed of even looking at my own lack of faith in that as well.
I also know that we have to walk this unknown territory to become the change we want to be and that that takes intent and determination and not succumbing to the desire to run back to the known and familiar path.
Megan, I know you too are on a new adventure with no guarantee and I salute your courage. xox Wilma
I agree with SuZen: it’s all a question of balance. And for me, courage. To have the courage to say “enough” to the mad pace of our world. The ride is fun only if we plan rest stops! My body reminds me very quickly of what is enough. If I listen I stay in balance. If I don’t (and sometimes I choose not to) I get sick. Aging does carry the gift of learning when it’s enough. Hey, there’s got to be somoe advantage to it!
Hi Maryse, yes everthing has a silver lining if you let it. Age has a lot of advantages, however I am no longer prepared to ignore the warning signals and lose time to me being out of order. I do not let that happen to my car, so why should I let that happen to me, the most important Structure in my life?
I am base camp and a lot depends on me and it is time I take ME serious.
AND yes it does take courage to stand up and look after oneself and ignore all the demands that are being placed on us. But why does it actually take courage, why do we feel that way?
Have the consequences of standing up for ourselves indeed been that great, are we becoming non-existent when we want a pause from playing so hard out?
Probably, I do think that it is important not to underestmate the pressure we have been put under to produce more and more, otherwise how come we are doing this to ourselves, how come we have become our own slave driver?
Oh Maryse, in the end it all comes back to observing and then intentionally finding and implementing a different more useful way to live our life. At least that is what I am doing and so far so good and I would love for you to no longer get sick as a sign to stop. You are too marvelous for that and your life is too precious, Love Wilma
Yes, Wilma, you are absolutely right: I’m working on it. To be able to be in tune with my body so that I stop before I feel unwell. It will come. It’s the next step in my journey. There’s pressure to perform and conform but in my case there’s also something else: I’m EXCITED!! There’s so much I want to discover, play with, DO, that I do not want to stop and rest. I’m only just learning that rest is not a waste of time. It’s another way of living richly. A needed recharge and communion with my true self. We’re never done growing. That’s what makes living so rich!
Love right beck at you!
Maryse
Maryse´s last blog ..RIPPLES…INTERRUPTED.
Hi Maryse, I adore your attitude;
Way to go, in my book THIS IS learning, real learning.
As I reflect on this lesson, I realize that my ego is holding onto FEAR of changing my professional career so that it is more in sync with where I want my life to be.
I’m stuck in my own muck right now – and I’m sure I’ll get to the bottom of it and create a plan where I can let go of a professional career that no longer is useful to me. I want to create my own courage to say “enough” to a career that saps the energy from my soul.
xxoo
Peggy ´s last blog ..Procrastination Purgatory or Something Else?
Hello Peggy!
It does take courage. Especially when it comes to work. we invest so much in it! Trust is key along with knowing what we want. When we do, the Universe starts paving the way. I’m sending good vibes your way. That you may follow your path to inner peace!
Maryse
Maryse´s last blog ..RIPPLES…INTERRUPTED.
Oh Peggy, that frigging fear that can be so real and can so stop us in our tracks.
I have said to Ann-Marie, yes we are here to support you but the jumping you HAVE to do alone. NOBODY can do that for you.
AM and I have been standing at the cliff edge often enough, side by side and both of us so fearful and often we could not jump. Often we gently edged our way away from the cliff edge, carefully so we would not accidently fall. We then always gave ourselves hell for being such cowards and then we tried again to come away again.
Oh Peggy, just keep going to the cliff edge AND be gentle, keep observing though, keep observing and stay in-integrity by keeping an eye on the wholesome ‘what is so’. That will eventually get you to jump, that will give you the courage to do the only bit you HAVE to do alone, the JUMP. xox and love, Wilma
Hi Peggy
I can imagine your desire to cry “enough” to your career, but your are using the term ‘enough’ with a different meaning from Wilma’s use, which is one of balance. I suspect what you really want to be saying is “NO PLAY”!!!
Great timing on this post. As I schedule more “stuff” I gotta get done. I start to panic that I didn’t do this or that. When did I blog last, and on, and on the panic rising to anxiety that is crushing. I have to stop myself and say. I started this blog FOR me and only me. To share my stories, my thoughts, and inspirations. Nothing else matters. I don’t have to schedule or do anything. I own this.
However the bonus I didn’t bank on was meeting people like you Ann Marie, Peggy, Tess, Lance and many more that just fill my soul up with light. I feel like I could float away it brings such peace to think and feel and live heart-centered. To find inspiration so readily shared.
I take a deep breath in of all the good, I exhale out the bad. I try to live each day with peace and love.
Enough is enough when I forget to breathe.
xoxo
Hi Angelia,
Beautiful name! I smiled when I read your comment: yep, we do own our blogs but it does feel like they own us sometimes.
I started almost 3 months ago and got on a crazy ride! Now, like you, I see that I’m the one in charge. Time to say ‘enough’. I keep dreaming of sleeping babies, growing so much in a peaceful way.
Living each day with love and gratitude. I’m with you!
Thnks!
Maryse
Maryse´s last blog ..RIPPLES…INTERRUPTED.
Hi Angelia and Maryse.
Amen to both of you!
Things can never own us when we are aware and observe. But when things get out of hand and they start to live us, oh boy we are in trouble and a sense of balance and enough goes out off the window.
Yes we all do get a lot out of blogging and meeting each other however as we do not have to visit physcial friends every day so do we have to figure out a way how to cope with our on-line friends and activities because this shop never closes.
It is all how to cope with this abundance and moderation is a skill we obviously have to learn.
But I do want to use Maryse’s word, it is EXCITING if we keep in charge of the lead on the beast of cyberspace and life.
And I too only have to watch my non breathing to know ‘enough’ is reached and I have to stop and relax. I especially do it with cutting up veggies, fast chop chop
Hi John,
You’re right. It’s “No Play” for me – only then will I find the “enough” I crave.
xo
Peggy
Peggy´s last blog ..Procrastination Purgatory or Something Else?
Enough is enough has to go both ways. There has to be enough obligations, enough work, and enough dedication, but also enough “me” time and enough relaxation. They have to balance in order to truly be “enough”.
Lindsey Petersen
http://5kidswdisabilities.wordpress.com
Hi Lindsey
Sure we all have already a busy life with lots of things to do and you certainly have.
What I have become aware of though is that I have to be careful NOT to pile more things on top of it so I am getting more and more things to do and balance goes.
Blogging for example started out for most of us as something we enjoyed doing, but we easily loose our sense of balance as we get easily sucked in to doing more.
Paying ‘more’ attention to our commentors, paying ‘more’ attention to their blogs, paying ‘more’ attention to recipricating, doing more and more and more because we start feeling like we should.
THAT is where enough is enough gets blurred and I start to lose my sense of balance.
What started out as a joyful activity then became something that burdens me with obligation and excessive hard work and THAT is when I have to say enough is enough and let’s get back to having it be joyful again.
Love Wilma
“Enough” is something only us can decide for ourselves. Unfortunately, few choose to accept that they had enough.
Hi Walter. Yes ‘enough’ requires each peson to discern what that means to them. However it is the skill to discern that, that is lacking. We are not living in a world that encourages enough, it encourages more and to find my own inner knowing of what is enough might take some doing.
I do agree, accepting what one has, is knowing enough and yet there is so much pressure to NOT accept that one has, does or be enough.
It is a hard thing to learn to determine, would you agree?
xox Wilma
This is a beautiful sharing of yourself, and a great way for others to reflect on themselves. When we begin to fear not accomplishing something, it is valuable to step back and take a moment to reflect. Why and how have we gotten ourselves to the point of fear with the concept of disappointing ourselves or others by what we do or don’t do. There is a careful balance to achieve both in the online and physical world.
I think when we have true friends online, they appreciate what you have to share, and understand if you don’t make it to every post, or happen to comment on every post that you read. I believe that they understand you are still there, sharing your love and thoughts with them.
Thank you for visiting my blog. That sounds like quite an adventure, sailing from New Zealand!
Dear Stacey,
Your comment is SO “right on” here. I just loved it. LOVED this part, SUCH a KEY point:
THAT, dear friend, is NO way to live. It is not life-giving. In the end I think it defeats all we may be trying to accomplish. Thank you so much for sharing that. It really hit home!! Love, Robin
Robin Easton´s last blog ..Forgiveness
Hi Stacey.
I hear this point in your comment;
What I resonate is that this for me points to authenticity. True friends connect at an authentic level. True friends observe and notice and pay attention and are attentive. True friends hear you and indeed love you for what you are, for how you add value and that your connection does NOT relate to measures of enough doing but of BE-ing enough when you do connect.
Oh Stacey, exciting to get to dialog this way about this issue that can so bury our heart-centered self. The ego loves to feed on this immeasurable fear of not doing enough, it is right up its alley if we let it.
xox Wilma
PS John sailed to your neck of the woods in a 26 ft sailing boat, unfortunately that was before the time I knew him. Yes, an adventure it was and his life of years on the wild ocean had made a huge impact.
Dearest Wilma, this post could not have come at a better time for me. I cannot keep the blogging pace up and do all the extra stuff I have to do in the next few months to get my book out. I’ve started a post about this.
I get at least a couple hundred blogs or more that I know well, who visit my site, and 30 – 60 comments on my own posts, and thousands of real visits each month, and at least a hundred emails a day. As my blog grew I tried to visit each new person’s blog and responded to all 30 – 60 comments on my own blog each week. BUT my eyes are shot from being at the computer all the time. My brain is fried. I’m working 7 days a week most weeks, except for my early morning walk or hike. It’s not a way to live.
The point here is that it is ALWAYS enough. I (and Life itself) are ALREADY enough, already in prefection. I am really starting to grasp that reality in my online life right now. That I CAN let go and let my heart direct me on what I WANT (repeat: WANT) to do, am MOVED to do and what is top priority in terms of making a living right now, so that I can move out of the city and onto the land. We want to grow ALL our own food and live a harmonious life doing the things we LOVE doing. Which I’ve spent much of my life doing. So I know that lifestyle well.
I am learning to trust that I CAN let go and NOT keep thinking that it won’t be enough. But instead trust that it is ALWAYS enough. And more importantly, that if I let my heart lead me, as well as listen to my body when it is fatigued, that I will be a much more peaceful, healthier, CREATIVE person. I can no longer go to where my brain refuses to produce another creative thought/post or comment, refuses to produce any thought at all and I keep demanding that it do so. I know better and have NEVER lived like that. No point in doing it now.
Ever since my site was hacked, and then this week “trying to catch up” from last week…it hit me that I can’t do this anymore. I have to pull back and, like Ann-Marie said, find my center again where I feel calm and feel Robin again. Where I can easily breathe. The world won’t fall apart. And I will feel more refreshed, creative, peaceful.
Life is not about being sucked into the “gimme gimme” vortex of the internet, NOTHING is worth that, NOTHING!! Life IS Joy, Peace, Ease, Creativity and Love…if we simply get out of our own way and embrace what ALREADY is, the rest will take care of itself. Thank you dear heart for writing this. I prayed for guidance on my morning walk across the high desert this AM, and come home to find it from you. It is so perfect. I am SO SO grateful you shared this. It’s done me a world of good. I love you, Robin xox
Robin Easton´s last blog ..Forgiveness
Thank you for posting this, Robin. I often wonder what I will do when my blog flies high enough that I will not be able to respond to everyone. You express it very well: follow what you want and what feels good. It’s your life. it’s our lives. We can say ‘enough’ even to the blogosphere.
Best of luck. Hope all your dreams come true!
Maryse
Maryse´s last blog ..RIPPLES…INTERRUPTED.
Dear Maryse, THANK YOU!! Having this reflected back to me through you was very powerful! Just felt like heaven. Hugs, Robin.
Robin Easton´s last blog ..Forgiveness
Another thought: isn’t the need for pushing ourselves forward -on line and off- linked to success or our definition of it? What if success evades us if we do not reply to every single comment? What IF? I think that a healthy definition of the word is needed for a life in balance. Success as balance, actually, as moving at one’s own pace from a place of well-being and love.
Maryse
Maryse´s last blog ..RIPPLES…INTERRUPTED.
Hi Maryse.
For me the distinction heart-centered self and ego has been really helpful and Eckhart Tolle explains it beautifully in his book ‘A New Earth’.
It is the Little Voice in me that keeps having these fearful conversations of not doing enough, I listen to it and I hear only negative talk.
When I am tired and feeling that I actually have done enough and want to go swim in the river, I can count on my Little Voice, (which is the ego talking) that I should not give in as I have NOT yet achieved all my goals yet, I have not eaten the whole elephant yet.
Maryse, our ego is our worst enemy and will flog us to death.
It has taken over from our worst boss, you listen and I bet that you hear your worst teacher or boss talking when you listen.
However when I learned to trust my heart, then I heard a far more loving and intelligent voice with far better ideas.
I am learning to distinguish these two selves, my heart-centered self and my ego and it takes some doing because the ego is very crafty.
But so far so good, and my ability to listen has given me this beautiful life here in rural New Zealand in our own Garden of Eden where we grow all our own food.
xox Wilma
Robin,
I knew that you kept yourself busy online, but honestly had no idea just how many blogs and e-mails you look through and respond to on a daily basis. You are just such a loving soul! I know I would not have the energy to keep up with so many!
I have always been amazed at the time you take to respond to all the comments on your site, and also visit everyone elses blogs and the length and care that you put into each comment. This is a beautiful, loving gesture, but I also think people will completely understand if you do not have the time to respond to each comment.
I think that is wonderful that you are working toward moving to the land, there is something so magical about growing your own food and being connected through that process.
You are such a beautiful soul, you should fully nurture yourself in the physical world. The online world is amazing in its own ways, but as I see it, it is NEVER important enough to loose yourself in. It is a realm of infinite directions to go, and thus quite easy to feel that you are not accomplishing enough, because there is always something else to do. I felt myself worrying about keeping up with peoples blog, and finally allowed myself to visit peoples blogs when I was drawn to do so, and knew that they would visit my blog when they were drawn to. People seem to know I do not visit every time there is a fresh post, and they still come to my blog, because they are drawn to what I have to share.
I hope you take time to nurture your nature side, and allow yourself to not have to work so hard and so many days. We don’t want a beautiful soul such as yourself burning out! =) I look forward to your book also, I know you have been pouring a lot of love and energy into it!
Stacey´s last blog ..Adventures Along the Spit
Oh Dearest Robin.
All I can shout is YES, YES, YES when I hear you say this;
Life is not about being sucked into the “gimme gimme” vortex of the internet, NOTHING is worth that, NOTHING!! Life IS Joy, Peace, Ease, Creativity and Love…if we simply get out of our own way and embrace what ALREADY is, the rest will take care of itself . . .
Oh Robin, as you say we know in our heart what to do, when enough is enough, really.
I too though have been confused about this do-ing as I too want to meet all these wonderful people and make sure they feel they are loved.
Oh Robin in your enthusiasm it is hard to know when to stop acknowledging us, your friends.
However on your own blog you commented, “I am love, I am part of a loving universe, the love ripples through me as through the universe and through you.”
As we are all connected just feeling love and having the intention to connect is enough.
Of course a visit is great too, but all in moderation. As Stacey says, when we are your friend we will feel connected not by frequency of your visits but by the depth of your BE-ing and your love.
And depth is there, my dearest Robin, depth and love is there and that is enough.
BIG HUG, xox Wilma
It is always difficult to slow down but last night as I lay on the kitchen floor practicing the art of drawing hearts with my five year old, I was so glad that I have been following my New Year’s Resolution to eliminate all connections to the outer world when I am with my children.
Tucker could not get enough of me and at one point when I started to get up he panicked and asked if I was leaving him to go to my “Clubputer.” I reassured him that I wasn’t going anywhere and he was as happy as could be.
As I scrolled down to make your 39th comment, I could see how busy you must be. None of us know where our blogging is heading but I am in for the ride!
Jillian´s last blog ..Looking for Snow? Visit the Wolf Creek Ski Area + Enter to Win 4 Passes
Oh Jillian, children are the best and I love his knowing that your ‘Clubputer’ is serious competition.
Undivided, uninterrupted attention is sooooo valuable, more than we actually know and how absolutely divine that you are observing this. However you are very good at observing what is going on with your children and that is extremely valuable.
My youngest who is now 24 can still remember moments when I was NOT fully present and when I was. I am now fully present when I talk to her and it makes wonderful conversations possible. I am so grateful for those moments that I too was present with her when she was young, it is paying off big time.
And where our clubputer takes us, well luckily I am learning to have a say in that, rather than having the clubputer take me for a ride, I decide where we go.
xox Wilma
This is a great post. I think so many of us bloggers have to examaine our actions every so often. It is easy to get drawn into the social side of networking and as you gather more like-minded people around you the time on facebook, twitter and commenting can suck you in sometimes.
The difficulty is that before you know it, you don’t have the time to allocate to whatever it is that you are blogging about, in my case art and photography.
I confess that I have ditched some networking sites over time, I asked myself some good questions as to what I was doing in them. If it was to promote my blog, I stopped doing it. Entrecard and BC were two that went by the wayside…
FB and twitter are great but I use them to keep in contact with people I enjoy chatting to or family sometimes (but that is a different story). Funnily enough, they carry on regardless if I take a break
A while ago I made myself a pact to comment less but when I did make one, make it meaningful.
Hi Chrissy.
You make excellent points, and I see why;
I do appreciate your intention to add value. It will make time spend valuable for everybody as you add to the discussion and everybody gains from their effort to come here. That is going for win/win.
I am a real fan of questions and therefore I also love what you say here about your social networks;
It so pays off to sit still and take stock and ask these questions about intent and return on investment of time and effort. I am learning that as well.
We are actually very careless with our time and yet we moan that it is so precious. If we would treat money like we treat time we would be horrified at what would reveal itself, don’t you think?
Isn’t it interesting that the networks with which you are involved now carry on regardless of frequency? Hmmm, what does this tell us?
As I said before I appreciate your contribution to the dialog, it is valuable.
Love Wilma
Thank god I’m not alone!!!!!!
Wilma, you can’t have known that I’ve struggled to be a “proper blogger” from Day 1. I’ve been on more hiatuses (is that even a word?) than I’ve be online with my posts. Throughout it all, I’ve questioned the “rules” for being a proper blogger, wondering whoever made them anyway and why in the world did I continue to feel pulled and pushed and nudged and prodded to be seen and heard all over online creation. Always a die-hard individualist, it rubbed the wrong way—-and then I’d go into a brain freeze, unable to find a way to share anything in any coherent way that I had wanted to share in the first place. Sheesh, talk about a self-made mess…
Thank you for sharing this.
I’m so glad others have piped up, too. In fact, thank you EVERYONE! 
Julie´s last blog ..Letting Go!
Hi Julie.
Isn’t it wonderful all these encouraging sounds from everyone.
Oh you made me laugh with your description of your cyberspace experience, I so relate.
It is like being in a washing machine, tumbling and not knowing if you are up or down when the door opens.
Yes, talk about a self made mess, I am no longer prepared to have that in my life, this was just one too many.
Ha, so good on us, I give you a high five and let’s do a group hug.
I trust you enjoyed your hike with Tess, she is planning to come to New Zealand, maybe we will see you too, hiking is a blast in this country.
XOX for piping up wise sister, Wilma
A washing machine is the *perfect* illustration!
Yes, the hike with Tess was fun and we’ve another planned in a week or so. And you never know, you and I may meet one day. Beautiful New Zealand’s always been tops on my list of places to visit!
Thanks again for opening this topic for discussion. What a relief.
Oh Julie, that would be fun to see you here in New Zealand. And good for you to plan another hike, if you don’t plan it, it will never happen.
And yes, what a relief to hear others sharing their experience with the cyberspace beast. So back to moderation and peace, xox Wilma