Filling Time

Sometimes I view life as a rushing river with me moving along in the middle. As I rush along, or flow depending on my mindset, I try to draw things into the river with me. Accomplishments....progress....things that I think will make my experience downriver more enjoyable and fulfilling. I set a lot of deadlines for myself and I always expect that I can accomplish more than I actually do. When I don't meet my personal expectations I start to pressure myself and accept stress. I think that my life is going to be less happy unless I can "pull it together", "pick up the pace", "make up for lost time"... Why do I do this? This is stress and a quality if life that I am giving to myself.

I have several personal mantras that I believe in:
"I can do anything that I set my mind to do"
"I Live my Life...Life does not Live Me."
"Thoughts become Realities - Change my Thoughts, Change my Reality"
Sometime these mantra's war with each other. I create a river of goals and ideals and then feel trapped and out of control because I don't accomplish them. I need to adapt and re-adjust. I get stressed because I accept stress.
I have created the rushing river of "time". I can change the direction and slow it down to a lazy trickle or fill it to a bursting torrent. I am the author. Do I want to live in a world of not enough time or plenty of time? Do I want to run behind life, trying to catch up? or walk in front and love the view?
As I write, Mia is at my elbow, barking and whining and giving my arm an occasional nip. I think I shall give in to the plea and go for a walk. : )