Letting Go of My Organized Life

There are so many phases of life and each one brings many changes and unforeseen circumstances. Growing up, small children dream of adulthood, and they envision the thought of getting older to be fun and adventurous, and even though there is some truth to this, there is definitely not that level of carefree blindness that many anticipate.

My whole life has been planned, pretty much by myself, it's just my personality. This is a strong characteristic of my choleric temperament. I love to plan my days, my weekends, and even envision the next five years. Yes, I am one of those nerds who enjoys buying a pocket calendar and happily keeps a record of each upcoming month. Prior to four children this portable calendar probably wasn't necessary, but now it is a crucial part of my day, no longer just a cute accessory. Honestly, how could anyone keep an entire family's schedule only in their head?

Lily Pulitzer Calendar

My overly scheduled A-type personality, brought quite an adjustment into adulthood, in more particular, motherhood. I am not referring to the transition from college into a career, because those were the glory years. That was a time when I could try new things, enjoy my life with my husband. Those "honeymoon" years brought beautiful children, the opportunity to stay home with the kiddos, and many other exciting adventures. The difficulty came when I realized that it was impossible to plan out my life. Extremely structured schedules were just not possible with many small children. Schedules were needed with the children, but flexibility was paramount. My once perfectly planned schedule was now a thing of the past. I was only trying to stay above the rising tide and sometimes completely forgot about that little pocket calendar, until I missed an important appointment or meeting. A bit of humility never hurt anyone...

It was at this same time that I realized I needed to let go. Life was hard, really hard with small children, but neither would I trade any of it for the whole world, not even for my perfectly organized pocket calendar. I didn't need to be organized or right on schedule, even though it still drives me bananas when we are running late. What I needed was to start enjoying the life. A life full of chaos, happiness, frustrations, and pure exhaustion. This was the good life and it was only until I let go of that little pocket calendar (an overly structured schedule) that life began to have more meaning. I was able to focus more on my husband and my family, instead of the plans for the weekend. My daughter has this "planner" type of personality, which is a great trait, but I have also reminded her (and myself) that it's important to be flexible and let go!

It's On My To Do List!

Writte By: Ooh La La (Danielle Marie)

That inevitable phrase...we hear it all the time!  We all have those days when it feels like everything just continues to pile up and we accomplish absolutely nothing!  Or does this seem more in line with our lives?  Do we have a list of house projects, work projects, personal goals, hobbies to learn, friends to meet and family to visit, but we just never have the time?  Why do we not have the time?  Are we too caught up in ourselves?


ORGANIZE YOUR LISTS
     Find out what works best for you!  List your home projects separate from your daily house chores (such as laundry, dishes, bathroom cleaning, dusting, since these are necessary on a weekly basis).

Photo Credit: http://www.pacenet.org/tipaday/?p=129

WHO GETS PRIORITY
     Figure out who needs you!  Do you have a friend who is hurting and needs a bit of your time?  Is your husband craving your attention, but you have busy with work?  Are your children tugging on you for more one on one time, but you are trying to keep up with chores?  Find out what is more important, work, family, friends, hobbies, etc.  This will help you choose your priorities!



TAKE TIME TO PARTY
     Yes, we all have to work, but we also must have time to relax, enjoy life and party!  Throw a surprise party for a friend!  Plan a date night for your spouse, you both need it!  Or pack a picnic lunch and spend a day at the zoo with family and friends!  Oh, and don't forget, we all need a bit of shopping therapy!

 IT'S ON MY TO DO LIST
     Now that you have made your lists, it is time to get some things accomplished!  Check each item or task off after you complete it.  This will give you a sense of accomplishment and help you move on to the next task!  Try to enjoy your tasks, whether it's spending time with a loved one, playing outside with your kids, cleaning the basement with your spouse or finishing a work project, it will go much faster if you love what you're doing!

Sauce of Life Tip... Love life, it goes by too fast to complain!

Spending time with friends!  This is what life is about!