"You’re going too fast!"

Last week my mum visited from Melbourne.  It wasn’t really a holiday for her – it was a hands-on-deck help session.  How blessed am I that I can call on this woman to help me out in times of need, and she will jump on a plane to be here.

(Can I just say upfront that if you live far away from your mum, or your mum has passed over, or your relationship is a little complicated, that I am sending you lots of love – because I cannot imagine how hard that must be. xx)

Last week was ‘launch week’ this new website was due to launch, and Small Steps to Wholefoods was due to go live for promotion too.

Big. Week.

My husband was going interstate for work so I called in the trooper herself.  I needed extra hands.

And of course she brought more than that.  Way more that just what her hands can do (ironing and cuddling).  She brought warmth, reassurance, love, energy.  And she brought a big fat cushion for me to slump on to.

She saw me at my best and worst last week.  I will not go into all the dramas that were taking place around my children, but let me just say – ear infection and separation anxiety.

It was all getting a bit much.  I consider myself a pretty competent and relaxed mother.  I ‘get’ my children.  We have our moments but we have our rhythm and we all dig it when we’re in sync.

But sometimes things get out of sync and mum saw it in its full glory.

Over on the Mums Who Get Shit Done Facebook page we have a lot of fun talking about ways in which we can be mums but still get stuff done.  We talk about how hard we find it to strike a balance with competing demands on our time.  It’s a tough freaking juggle.

So I asked mum what the biggest difference is, in her opinion, between mothers of today and mums of her vintage. (Wrong word?  Sorry mum!) And the answer was surprising and not so surprising.

Mum on the pace of life from Lisa Corduff on Vimeo.

She talked about ‘the pace of life’. Interesting.

I haven’t known anything different.

This ‘busyness’ that we’ve grown accustomed – is it a choice?  Wasn’t it always this frantic? How can we simplify?  How can we take some of that pace away?

Because it’s not doing us much good!  I tend to think I thrive on it, but the reality is that there are things going on in my body when the adrenalin is pumping 24/7.  After we recorded that video mum said “you are going way too fast darling”.

And it hit me.  I have a choice.

The discussion underneath the video was interesting too – “how do we get more done if we slow down?” And the fact that life wasn’t less complicated back then, but we have to remember WHAT’S IMPORTANT.

So tell me – what’s most important to you?

I started this blog a few years ago to document the changes I was making to our families diet as we tried to incorporate more real food into it.  I created it because I love connecting.  I care so deeply about the health of my family and trying to make good food choices, because I can see the difference it makes in our behaviour and our health.

But the humble blog has become a business now, and it’s so bloody exciting that I can barely contain myself.  And it’s made life busy.

So I started thinking about what was important and reconnecting with it again. Instead of being constantly distracted by work I am practicing being the present mum that I want to be.  I am giving in to a few things and trying to find more flow.

Because when that person who knows you so freaking well pulls you up and says “you’re going too fast”, well you listen – and if you’re smart you act!

I now have a ‘no work’ policy on weekends.  Or if I do need to work it is contained to a one hour block.  I’m reconnecting with my husband and that feels so great.

I’m getting creative in the kitchen again and stopping relying on sausages and roast veggies for every second meal!  (A great whole foods dinner if they are good snags, but everyone was getting a bit bored).  I am thinking about the foods that we can eat as a family, to ensure we stay as well as can be through the cooler months (yep, socks went on yesterday in Brisbane….brrrrr….lol!)

It meant deadlines were pushed out, but you know what – the ride is worth it.

To me – the health and happiness of my family is number one, and that includes my own health.

So grateful we went down the wholefoods path.  And so grateful I have created a business around helping others do the same. Because it matters!

Big thanks to my mum for being such a great teacher.  Isn’t it funny that no matter how old we get we still look to our mums for guidance and when she said “you’re one of the best mums I know”, well nothing could mean more. And I have little people who will look to me too, which still freaks me out.  So I better be an example I’d be happy for them to follow.

Tell me – are you going too fast?  How’s the pace in your life? What’s your biggest priority and is it being met or pushed to the side?