Struggling With Juggling

'The trick to juggling is determining which balls are made of rubber and which ones are made of glass.' --Anon

Are you juggling too many things at once and are you finding it a real struggle not to let any of the balls drop? Almost everyone is juggling more than one thing at one time or another, so how do you make sure that you can cope and not reach the point where you are tempted to just chuck everything into the air and let it all go?

Juggling in itself is no bad thing. It has a specific goal - to keep as many objects in the air at one time without dropping them. It focuses the mind to coordinate with the body to keep those balls up and moving. It can provide you with a great sense of achievement. The problems occur when you find yourself juggling more things than you are actually able to handle, with the accompanying sense of being out of control. You are just waiting for the first ball to drop and getting more stressed as every moment passes. It is time to consider whether all the balls are helping to move you forward towards your goal, or have some just been snatched up in the momentum of juggling. Which can be dropped with little or no impact?

Those items or activities that have been putting a strain on you and interrupting your flow need to be examined and dealt with. Either decide to keep them - or ditch them. Juggling too many things can increase your stress levels. Learn to say 'no' and only take on new things that will either help you move towards the achievement of your goals, or are of interest to you and will give you pleasure to do. Anything else should be avoided or delegated.

There are actually quite a few juggling websites on the internet. Some tell you how to and others tell you about the history of it. If you like the idea of learning to juggle for real (that is, if you aren't already doing it) then have a look and see. Some areas have Circus Skills on offer, which include juggling amongst other unusual activities. This will certainly keep you active, both mentally and physically.

You often end up juggling because you have taken something on out of a sense of duty, or because of other people's expectations. Resolve from now on that you will only juggle with the balls that are appealing or interesting to you. Anything else can be left to others to deal with.

All you need to get started is a few objects and a lot of patience. You don't need to buy expensive equipment. You can find the items you need at home. The key appears to be patience and concentration. How can you relate this to your life? Do you rush into things without thinking them through and find yourself with another thing on your to-do list, one that you really don't want to be doing? Perhaps using that concentration and taking time to consider whether you really do want to take on something new will save you worrying about all those things you are keeping up in the air.

Kate Harper is based in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland. Check out her website http://www.harpercoaching.com

She works with people who are fed up with moaning about their lives and have decided to do something about it. If that is you, please take a look at Kate's website. Her special interest is in promoting Wellbeing through coaching. She is happy to work with people from any part of the world.

"The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult." Madame Marie du Deffand

Take your first step today and contact Kate.