By Heather Backman

One day I was to the point that either something needed to change or I was about to lose it! I was so consumed with taking care of my 5 children, trying to keep my house clean, trying to build a business, and doing homework for 2 different courses taking up 3 nights a week. I could hardly sustain that for much longer. I didn’t know what to do. Then a trusted friend and mentor suggested that I play! Just let go of ALL the responsibility for a time and just relax and play.

I resisted it for a while because I couldn't see how playing could possibly help me accomplish my responsibilities. She assured me that playing would indeed help! So, I took her advice and decided to just let go and play. 

It happened to be Labor Day, so instead of going with the original plan - getting housework and “honey-do” projects done, I decided that as a family, we totally let go and just play! We chose to take a day trip up into the mountains and go kayaking, fishing, hiking, eat, rock in the hammock, and just enjoy being together as a family. 

Oh my goodness! It was sooooo awesome! It really was exactly what I needed! It brought me life, helped me relax, and it helped me see that all the things I felt were so important to get done, really weren’t all that important and that all would eventually fall into place.  

That next week just seemed so much easier, I was able to get everything done I needed plus let go of things that really didn’t matter. I was amazed! As the next two weeks went on, I decided to do even more playing. I started to play board games with my kids, and with my husband, and just let myself relax more. I was able to really wind down, and have more of a focus at home and on the business I was working to build. 

That experience taught me powerfully the beauty of the Law of Rhythm. I was amazed to see how the beautiful ebb and flow of pushing hard, and then letting go to relax was what my body, mind, and soul really needed. I had not been letting myself relax and play because I believed that I had to push, push, push to “make” everything happen. My husband has always lived by the mantra that states, “I work hard so I can play hard.” Even though I have known this, I struggled to live by it as more and more children came along and responsibility doubled. 

But now, I am able to live my life more fully as I push hard to get the important things done, and then relax and have fun after the push! My life feels so much easier and so much more balanced!