How many things have you done today? Do you feel it was enough or are you going to bed feeling guilty for not having done more? Golly! If you are like me then you always end up feeling that the hill you climbed ought to have been a mountain. The constant battle with oneself is exhausting. My daughter has three friends for a sleepover this weekend and I gave them Pizza for dinner. However, I feel that I should have cooked them a more wholesome meal. They aren't complaining and are loving being here. See what I mean?
According to a new book called The Mindful Manifesto: How doing Less and Noticing More Can Help us Thrive In A Stressed Out World it is the process of continually reaching for more that makes us unhappy. The author suggests that the solution lies in 'being more' and 'doing less'. Apparently if we are too busy being Wonder Woman then we forget to pay attention to our body, mind and environment. Stand still and take stock.
While I agree with this I think it also misses the point that our lifestyles have changed and modern women are required to do so much more than their mothers did because of the changing societies. As an example, my own mother had an extensive support network of family when I was growing up. She didn't work and her life was confined to the house and the periphery of it. Modern Woman or Wonder Woman, by contrast, goes out to work, looks after the children, organises the home while maintaining our own interests. I am just thankful that we don't have to go the whole length by emulating the original Wonder Woman played by Linda Carter who took on the baddies and fought (literally) for truth and justice.
