Relaxing or Not (Tara Taylor Quinn)

I have a problem. (Okay, I'm sure more than one, but this has to be short and I'm not into true confessions.) But this problem - I don't know how to relax. I mean it. Really. There's always so much I want to do. So much I need to do. So much I can do. That I just can't stop. I'm a determined person and this serves me very very well and yet, to everything there is a shadow side and the downside to determination is that everything has to have a purpose. If I appear to be just sitting, I'm not. I'm either making a list, planning what to pack, listening to my characters tell me what's going to happen next or where I went wrong.

A couple of years ago when I was involved in organizational politics a good friend of mine told me to take time to relax. That I had to have some down time so that I would be better able to serve. I had to re-fill my well. I wrote her back and told her I didn't know how to do that. And years later, I still don't.

Do you ever lie in bed in the morning and just do nothing? Not me. My stomach starts to crawl with all of the things I could or should be doing. Walk on the beach and just breathe? Not me. I'm analyzing, watching, and usually planning what's going to happen next.

And this week...I'm on tour in the midwest and I carefully planned and promised myself that in the midst of the appearances, I would have down time. I would lie in bed and do nothing. I would sleep well. And I did. For two days. And then I started to drive myself crazy. My voices mix with character voices and before I know it, I'm off and running in three directions at once making up for the time I missed. I don't know what the answer is here, but if anyone has any suggestions, I'd sure love to hear them! You can reach me right here.

And, if you wouldn't mind, please hurry! I'm getting tired...