Whenever I feel swamped and unfulfilled, I have to look at how I’m spending my time. Am I over-committed to things or people who do not appreciate me or my help? Do they just expect me to always be there?
Part of it is my fault. I take on more, and then it avalanches on me, taking more time, especially when what I’m doing is helping people who disregard my criteria. By doing this, they put things on my to-do list that they should be doing. Things would get done so much sooner if they would simply work with me rather than making it easy on them. Assumptions get in the way. Assuming because someone has more experience in an area and expecting them to spend extra time on what you need help with is disrespectful at best.
Most of us spend time, money, and energy on things that are not in our top ten list of things to do. Of course, that cannot include your job, by which you earn a living, which is necessary for your well being. Aside from that, we can pretty much find out by making a list of things you are doing, and compare them to a list of what I would like to be doing. It can be a real eye opener. I’ll do a quick one.
How I’m spending time: 1. Watching NASCAR right now with the Babe. 2. Listening to the thunderstorm outside. 3. Double checking if the Post Website is up to date. 4. Checking if the Post FB Page is up to date. 5. Making a list of things I do as a volunteer that I’d like to share with someone else. 6. Analyze how I spend the majority my time. 7. Compare that with how I want to be spending my time. 8. Realize they are out of sync, and some decisions need to be made.
This is something that is very hard to do. Most people don’t pursue their dreams. I started pursuing mine a few years ago, with a passion. And now, I need to re-focus on them. I have seen some friends recently who thought they had much more time before life could change dramatically. I don’t want to regret spending time doing for others and forgetting myself, which is what I’ve been doing, and so has the Babe.
How I want to spend time? 1. Family always is first. 2. Work on my writing. I do believe I have something to share with the world. 3. Begin my hobby of quilting again. I miss it! 4. Spend time with the Babe, as much as we can. We’re both still healthy, but who knows what will happen tomorrow?
Pursuing my dreams is important to me and the Babe. I plan to start making a list of what I should be doing for my dream and start doing it. We’ll all feel better. The rest will all work out. It always does.
Sometimes, we’re so focused on things, we forget we need a rest. We forget we deserve to have fun. We forget we deserve to just sit and relax. Read a book. Play a game. Work a puzzle. Do something you used to love but haven’t done in awhile, because you “had other things to do.” Never again should you forget yourselves. Try it, you’ll like it!
Thank you for reading today, we’ll visit again tomorrow. See you then.
Kathy Raabe 