As often does in life, the unexpected came up in the form of a string of medical appointments for my dad. As his only family here in NC, it was necessary for me to accompany him to most of them. Now for someone as scheduled as I am my first reaction was a bit of panic – and the question “how will I be able to juggle everything? was ringing loudly in my ear. The answer quickly surfaced that I couldn’t juggle it all without sacraficing my health and sanity – and my relationship with my father.
I reminded myself that as a self employed person I have the luxury of creating (and modifying) my own schedule – something I often forget when filling it to the brim. So I made some decisions. I let go of whatever was not a necessity right now and moved some other things around where they were a better fit. I am also practicing saying no or not right now to other things that come up.
Once I looked at what mattered most to me and prioritized those things into my schedule first, the rest was easier to let go of. And it is just for now, while this wave of activity with my dad is here. When it passes, I’ll shift again.
Making the decision to clear large chunks of time in my schedule was incredibly freeing. It brought a sense of relief and peace, knowing I can make the time for what matters most in the moment.
What needs to shift in your life – for now?
Hi Stefanie,
You are a true inspiration.
I related to your post bc I am learning I have to say “no” to recently and shift priorities without feeling guilt. The key is-and what you wrote-is that you can shift priorities again. And it feels great to remind myself of this.
Thanks for the post.
Keri
Thanks Keri! You added something important – “shift priorities without feeling guilt”!! That is often hard to do, but when you take a hard look at why you are doing what you are doing, it makes it a little easier.