Sometimes I ask my husband what he'd want to do if money or family commitments weren't a consideration. I ask myself the same question more often. Up until Liam's birth last year, I led a very busy life. One with a lot of friends, social engagements, and work deadlines. I said yes to most things, and I wanted to experience it all.
And...I did experience a lot. I traveled Europe by train, performed my flute in South Indian temples, meditated in ashrams, swam in tropical waters, jumped off a mountain in Switzerland,
hiked many trails, and sailed the Greek Islands. I'm refueled by traveling and being in nature.
I've also tried to develop personal growth through all of my professional experiences. I chose my career and jobs based on what I was personally interested in at the time. These interests change a lot, so my resume is a bit all over the place. But, I like to think that I'm collecting different skills and bits of experience that will all feed into one end goal one day. I guess we'll see.
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| Interlochen, Switzerland - Photo taken while paragliding |
I've tried to live my life in a way that makes me happy, and I think each of my choices along the way has been propelled by an inner desire to feel like I've accomplished something. But when I say yes to everything, I find that I actually accomplish very little, and I lose sight of what my end goals are. A couple of years ago, I worked with a life coach to get my priorities in order. They are:
- Being healthy (exercising, preparing our food)
- Maintaining a strong relationship with my husband and son
- Having a job that allows me to help and/or mentor others
- Having a sense of place, home, and community
- Building close family and friend relationships
If I had to add two more to the list now, they would be:
- Prioritizing time for free, creative thinking and doing
- Traveling and spending time in nature
Since Liam was born, I've had to step back from mostly everything that didn't include something in the above seven categories. And to be honest, I'm barely hitting on half of those right now. But, rather than being busy all the time, life today is very simple and organized around our time to rest. I'm not currently working, so while Liam is sleeping I undertake small projects around our house, and attempt to reconnect to my creative energies.
The other day I heard a saying - "That women can do everything; they just can't do it all at the same time." And for me, that is so true. I can't do everything that I want to do at the same time. Life doesn't allow for that. But, I can and will accomplish everything that's important to me in my lifetime. I've always wanted to be a mother. Right now is my time for that.
PS - This post was supposed to end in an entirely different way, and it's funny how writing sometimes takes you to a place you weren't expecting to end up. I was planning on listing all the places I want to travel to and adventures I want to experience. I guess that will have to be done another day.
