Monday, February 25, 2008
Bunnies Versus Real Life
I was saddened to hear that two more Holland breeders are getting out of bunnies. J N J Rabbitry in Georgia, owned by Renee McBrayer and her daughter Jenn, nets us a loss of two breeders. Jenn will be showing her horses more now. We can only hope that one day they will decide to do bunnies again one day.
Holland Hollow is also closing it's doors. We will be updating her website shortly with her sell out information. If you are looking to buy an entire herd to get started, you might try contacting her ahead of the sale for a group price.
There are definitely good reasons to get out of rabbits - new babies, moves, other interests, etc., And when people leave us for those reasons, we have to wish them well and hope they will keep in touch even though it's sad to see them go.
But what about those of us who want to stay in bunnies, but feel the squeeze of life's other demands?
I'm going to make a confession. I've been working 12 hours per day or more (mostly more) on my new business, Laurie's Cobalt World. At 10:00 p.m. the other night, Andrew asked me if I had fed my bunnies.
Would you believe that for the very first time, I totally forgot about them! So out in the dark we tramped to get the bunnies fed. Thank goodness we have lights in the barn.
The next day, I paid Anna to feed my bunnies as I am still in the middle of a lot of website work as my business rapidly changes and expands. Thankfully, she works cheap!
I've noticed something about myself: the more crowded my life becomes, the more I have a need to organize things. Suddenly, unused icons on my computer and files that I haven't accessed for years have to go. Suddenly, my pantry has to be re-organized before I'm happy. Things have to be written on lists. Organization is a coping strategy and apparently, I need to cope right now.
I realize, now that the pressure is on, that I've allowed my life to become messy. Wouldn't it be a shame for me to not be able to fit in something - admittedly something huge - in my life because of general disorganization? The dryer lint of life has gotten in my way.
Just as I'm taking a refresher course to make sure that I create the best business I can, I think it's time to take a refresher course in de-stressing and removing the overload in my life.
I am a huge fan of Richard A. Swenson, MD. His book, Margin
: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, is a godsend, if you ask me. In fact, I notice there is now a whole collections of books associated with his first one. I don't have much time right now, so A Minute Of Margin sounds good to me!
Although I could use some margins in all areas of my life. I've reviewed his prescriptions and here's what I got out of it:
But . . .
I don't have plans for free time. I definitely need to build in more time to get places. I have a hard time cutting off one activity and starting the next on time. And I've absolutely GOT to learn to say no.
Show and raising rabbits should enhance our lives. I consider it one of the medium-size components to my life, not a detail. But to be able to give it - and all of the other major parts of my life - their due time and consideration, I've got to get rid of some of this lint.
Lint?
It's a bunch of little stuff that builds up and becomes a big problem! Lint we need to throw away. It's not to be confused with bunny fur, though.
Laurie
¶ 2:22 PM
Holland Hollow is also closing it's doors. We will be updating her website shortly with her sell out information. If you are looking to buy an entire herd to get started, you might try contacting her ahead of the sale for a group price.
There are definitely good reasons to get out of rabbits - new babies, moves, other interests, etc., And when people leave us for those reasons, we have to wish them well and hope they will keep in touch even though it's sad to see them go.
But what about those of us who want to stay in bunnies, but feel the squeeze of life's other demands?
I'm going to make a confession. I've been working 12 hours per day or more (mostly more) on my new business, Laurie's Cobalt World. At 10:00 p.m. the other night, Andrew asked me if I had fed my bunnies.
Would you believe that for the very first time, I totally forgot about them! So out in the dark we tramped to get the bunnies fed. Thank goodness we have lights in the barn.
The next day, I paid Anna to feed my bunnies as I am still in the middle of a lot of website work as my business rapidly changes and expands. Thankfully, she works cheap!
I've noticed something about myself: the more crowded my life becomes, the more I have a need to organize things. Suddenly, unused icons on my computer and files that I haven't accessed for years have to go. Suddenly, my pantry has to be re-organized before I'm happy. Things have to be written on lists. Organization is a coping strategy and apparently, I need to cope right now.
I realize, now that the pressure is on, that I've allowed my life to become messy. Wouldn't it be a shame for me to not be able to fit in something - admittedly something huge - in my life because of general disorganization? The dryer lint of life has gotten in my way.
Just as I'm taking a refresher course to make sure that I create the best business I can, I think it's time to take a refresher course in de-stressing and removing the overload in my life.
I am a huge fan of Richard A. Swenson, MD. His book, Margin
: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, is a godsend, if you ask me. In fact, I notice there is now a whole collections of books associated with his first one. I don't have much time right now, so A Minute Of Margin sounds good to me!Although I could use some margins in all areas of my life. I've reviewed his prescriptions and here's what I got out of it:
- Build in more time to get places - remember that things might take longer than you think
- Learn to say no
- Turn off the television if it is sucking away hours from your life
- Cut out some activities
- Practice simplicity and contentment
- Don't let technology run your life (clocks, alarms, cell hones, email)
- Have long-term plans
- Do less but do it well instead of doing more and giving each a lick and a promise
- Enjoy anticipation, relish memories
- Take time to make big decisions
- Plan for free time
But . . .
I don't have plans for free time. I definitely need to build in more time to get places. I have a hard time cutting off one activity and starting the next on time. And I've absolutely GOT to learn to say no.
Show and raising rabbits should enhance our lives. I consider it one of the medium-size components to my life, not a detail. But to be able to give it - and all of the other major parts of my life - their due time and consideration, I've got to get rid of some of this lint.
Lint?
It's a bunch of little stuff that builds up and becomes a big problem! Lint we need to throw away. It's not to be confused with bunny fur, though.
Laurie
¶ 2:22 PM
