Have a go at it!

"The more you depend on forces outside yourself, the more you are dominated by them."
This puts me in mind of something that we all do. I have never encountered anyone who didn't do this. What is "this"? It is waiting for everything to be just right before you have a go at something. You know what I am talking about. All the good stuff has to wait while you get everything aligned properly. The "Oh, I am going back to school, take art classes, travel, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.........when the kids get out of school, when I am married, when I am retired, when I have more money. Get the drift? Been there haven't you? Maybe, you're even still there. And it doesn't have to be just one thing, in fact, when we do it we usually have a case of the multiples. If, as John Lennon said, "Life is what happens while you're living it" why aren't we doing these things that will make our hearts sing? There is never, ever going to enough time, money, or whatever. We just need to have a go anyway. OK, maybe you can't take that trip to Italy you have always wanted. Do something related. Learn to cook some really mean Pasta, learn to speak Italian, visit a museum or gallery that carries Italian artwork. Do you see where I am going with this? While you are busy DOING something that you care about, the Universe just might find a way for you to get plane tickets to Tuscany. And, just think, you'll know just what to eat and how to order it when you get there.
If you want to go back to school now is the time to do it. There is an unprecedented amount of financial aid out there. Got a computer, take on-line classes. That way you can keep your day job, while you learn.
Want to learn a new skill or take up a new hobby but the kids are still at home. I used to live in a neighborhood where us gals with small children took turns babysitting so that we could each have a Mommy Day off a few times a month. Or if the kids are old enough, get them involved, too. I mean, the family that plays together really does stay together. A few years ago, my oldest daughter and I (and I am no Spring Chicken, wait....I am getting a visual! LOL) took up Middle Eastern dancing together. It was a blast and something we will always share and made my gimpy hip work better.
So, stop with the excuses (I am most definitely talking to myself here, too) and do something. DO something that puts a smile on your face and a giggle in your heart. DO something that makes your feet dance or your mind expand. It is all up to you. Oh, and by the way, I give you permission to leave the dishes in the sink.

Time

"Time is an invention. Now is a reality. So much creativity is happening for the simple reason that we have withdrawn ourselves from past and future. Our whole energy remains blocked either in the past or the future. When you withdraw all your energy from past and future a tremendous explosion happens. That explosion is creativity."-----Bhagwan Shree Rajnessh from "The Goose is Out"

We hear a lot about "living in the now". But, exactly what does that mean? How can we live in the moment when we are dealing with getting the kids off to school, trying to think what to cook for dinner, what bills are due and when? We are such a linear society. We put everything on a timeline.
These are some of the suggestions that I have found help me.
1. Get organized. If you are not running around always looking for what you need, you will have more time to get things done.
2. Make a list of the things that need to get done, break it down into manageable segments, put it somewhere handy and mark things off when they are finished. This does a few things. First it gets all of that minutia out of your head so you don't have to keep reminding yourself. Second, it is great feeling to take a magic marker and run a line thru a chore. You can actually "see" what you have accomplished. Don't make your list real general, either. Divide it up into smaller pieces, as instead of putting down "Clean house", list it room by room with each chore listed.
3. Most important---DON'T WORRY IF IT ALL DOESN'T GET DONE! You know what? It will all still be there another day. Really, no one is going to ground you.
4. Take time off, real time off. Walk outside, read a book, take a bath, play with the cat, dog, or child, anything that will take you away from all the everyday worry stuff.
5. Prioritse! And this is where it gets difficult for most people. Whatever you list holds, YOU need to go first.
If you are living in fear or anger, you are not living in the now. You are living in the past and the future, thinking about what wen down, went wrong, why, and what to do about it. When you find yourself in this place, just stop. Notice where your shoulders are at. Are they hunched over or tight and up around your ears? Ok, just relax them. Take 3 to 5 deep breaths, slow and even. If the feelings are still there, do it all again. Infuse your living space with the calm of lavender or invigorate yourself with any of the citrus oils.
You can do it. I know this because I manage to do it. Well, at least every now and then! LOL