Counting to 10

How long does it take to count to 10?  A simple question, right?
In the past week I have found several answers to this question.  Counting to 10 gave me an entirely new idea as I finished developing the registration packet for The Toolbox Conference.  It gave me enough time to take a new perspective on one of the daily challenges of being a mother of teen/tween children.  I counted to 10 to recount memories of time spent with a very dear friend.  It gave me the time to give extra pets to a very lovable dog.  As I was reading about the tsunami in Japan I had a new understanding about how long those seconds might seem as something so overwhelming approaches, and how short as everything in someone's life is swept away.

I like taking action, and counting to 10 makes me impatient sometimes.  But, then there are times when I am stuck in all of the possibilities when counting to 10 would free me from the details and let me just choose SOMETHING! because I am getting in my own way.

Sometimes the best use of counting to 10 is just listening to my own breath, and returning to that place of balance and peace.  And, at that moment all of the swirling emotions, details and frenetic energy just return to their normal, manageable size.

So now, I'm going to go count to 10 and see what the day will bring.  Will it be enough time for my daughter to wake up and get out of bed?  Can I de-clutter the living room?  Will my already stressed outlook return to a more relaxed set up steps into Wednesday?  Can I set aside the busyness long enough to let my heart fill with gratitude and joy at all of the wonderful blessings littered about in the swirling emotions, details and frenetic energy of my complicated life?