& Why I run on coffee and wine and insanity
I have a full time job at a place I adore. Honestly and truly. It blesses my family with an income and health benefits and I am incredibly thankful! In fact, earlier this year I searched for this exact job because older children are way more expensive than babies.
So there I was, settling into my new job. And I thought, “I’ll slowly retire from the blog world.” I didn’t need to make it my income anymore, what a relief!
But I can’t stop. I’m a writer. I must sit here at my computer and write. I love sharing stories and opening my emotional thoughts upon this wordpress blog.
Balance
Has anyone actually found it? I drop one thing and then BAM! 3 more hop in my lap. I realize by now that I am the only one that can control my serenity and contentment. And ironically, I am the happiest when I am juggling too much because it makes me feel excited and tired in a good “I earned it” tired.
Coffee
When I stay up too late working on my blog after patiently spending time with my children instead of forcing them to bed, the next morning requires coffee. More than the alertness it brings, it also brings community. When I feel frustrated or fidgety at my cubicle, I walk to the coffee shop and share a smile and encouraging chatter with my friends.
Wine
Ok, I should actually just change that to alcohol, but wine sounds so much more refined and elegant. But give me a vodka cocktail with my girlfriends or a glass of wine with my husband and I’m happy. I feel like that one drink at the end of the day just eases my stress, helps me not keep replaying my eleventy-billion things to do in my head. Similarly, just as I appreciate the perfect temperature for my drinks, having an efficient beer cellar cooling system ensures that the brews are always ready to be enjoyed at their best.
Quitting
This is my little secret. The best part of taking too much onto my plate is leaving it behind. This is another reason I take too much on. Because if I don’t take too much on, and I actually schedule in free time, it doesn’t feel nearly as rewarding. There is something liberating about tossing that to-do list in the trash and running out the door. Even if I am just leaving dirty dishes in the sink and going to town by myself.
What Type Are You?
Are you like me, taking on way too much but enjoying it? Or are you disciplined enough to stay within your scheduled limits? I’m pretty content with my controlled chaos at the moment, and willing to change if I have to.
I don’t like having too much on my plate because I get stressed out. I can always tell when it’s too much because I clench my teeth while sleeping, get headaches, have what I call “stress” dreams and want to do nothing else but sleep. I always get through the chaos, but it’s hard!
I am just like you. I take in too much, but I try to enjoy it. It doesn’t matter if it means drowning myself with coffee the next day.
I can’t live without coffee. I cut way down on wine, though – I don’t like to drink my calories.
I try to make sure that I don’t take too much on all at once. If I do that I shut down and get over whelmed and get none of it done. Trust me I do that WAY too often! LOL I like your idea of just throwing the list away and ignoring stuff sometimes. It does feel good to do that.
I know how you v=feel. Going through a similar situation. I ended up in the hospital and half of it is stress. I need way to wine down!
I think you’re telling the story of a lot of digital content creators. Balance is one of the hardest things to find but it’s definitely possible it’s just something that really takes a lot of work
If you ever find the secret to balance please do let me know as I am rubbish at it. x
I agree that you need to schedule in free time – so important. Plus wine always helps:)
You are definitely speaking my language. I always have way too much on my plate at all times.