I have been told multiple times throughout my life that I need to make time for myself and my family. That there has to be a balance of work and play/family time. I was great at always being there for my son as he was growing up. The majority of his life I was a single mom, and we were always together. I was a Registered Dental Hygienist and I worked Mon.-Thur. and usually got off around 4:30. We did a lot of studying in the car on the way to the baseball fields. I coached one of his teams and made sure to never miss a game. I was able to rearrange my schedule and go to school functions. I made sure that I was present, and he knew that I was always going to be there, that there was nothing more important.
Now fast forward and he’s 21, I am remarried, and the step kids are older. One in college and the other driving and almost finished with high school. To say this last year has been a huge adjustment is an understatement. With the demands of teaching and going back to school full time I have found that I have immersed myself in my work and studies. Almost like I am trying to fill that empty void with something. I can say that I am having a hard time finding that balance again. Finding time to just have “me time” and spending time with my husband. We all know that as we get older life gets crazy and there is always something going on or that needs to be done. We forget to stop and just “smell the roses”. I am very guilty of this. I am trying to step back and tell myself that the papers can wait, they don’t all have to be graded now. I don’t have to have everything planned out and printed for the next month at school. I sat my husband down and we discussed trying to make sure we make time for each other. Plan a date night once a month and take fishing trips more often. We both love fishing and live on the water so it’s easy for us to jump in the boat and go. It’s the process of just making that time. Putting things away and saying ok, this is our time now. Everything else can wait.
I am that OCD person who always has every minute of every day planned out and my husband is the exact opposite. He is that person that is always ready to drop whatever and put things on the back burner. I am the one that needs to relax more and try to go with the flow more. Which is of course easier said than done, especially for me. Don’t get me wrong I love being able to fish and travel! I just get in my own way and get hyper focused on other things. I am trying to look at the bigger picture and realize that my time and happiness is as important as the kids, and I enjoy that break too. With the busy world we live in I have to remind myself that the world is passing me by, I have to take the time to enjoy it while I can. This is my goal, and I will make sure to balance my work and personal life better as I move forward.
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