G running - 2013 marathonSo what?

While I am running (again) around my five mile loop, desperately hoping my knee will not be painful again, I start to get a little depressed at the thought of having to pull out of my half marathon. It’s this Sunday, so I don’t have a plan B! I feel guilty, depressed and annoyed with myself.

And then it hits me: WHY?

Why should I be annoyed with myself?

I have done all the training. I did the long-haul run a few weeks ago in a good time and it felt good. So why am I annoyed with myself?

It’s because of an instilled sense of duty. I signed up to it, I’ve trained for it, therefore I MUST DO IT!

While accepting that I will go and run (or hop?) my way through those 13.1 miles, I also accept that I cannot do it all.

Oh yes, you are hearing me right. I cannot do it all!

If I look at my schedule, my life and my family like a company, I can’t be the tea lady, the receptionist and the managing director all at the same time. I need to be more like an executive manager: they cannot do it all, so they delegate. I will delegate!

Nobody is going to demote them for not doing everything. Quite the reverse in fact. They are paid to focus their resources on what they are good at and getting others to do everything else.

So I said yes to my daughter’s last-minute netball game. I will be there to watch her. I cannot delegate that! I enrolled myself to an intensive yoga course, which will help me keep my classes fresh and so I will be able to better inform and guide my clients.  Again, that can’t be outsourced. I have to be there by definition.

At the same time, I can outsource other things: certain things around the house like gardening, cleaning and ironing. This will give me more time to dedicate to the things I love – my business and my family.

It was amazingly refreshing and liberating to accept I cannot do it all. Just getting over that hurdle makes me feel better!

So go on. Accept, and scream out loud: I CANNOT DO IT ALL!

It feels so good. Well, I definitely feel better.

Have a lovely day!