Skip to main content

There is something scary going on...

I suppose part of me just wanted to get your attention but there is much truth to the title of my "note."

In a matter of days, I have talked to multiple people who have talked about the stress they feel and how unhealthy it is. I have had a discussion with a relatively important co-worker who told me he was ready to cash it all in, buy a bunker in the country and ride his motorcycle as far as he could. I shared the picture on Facebook of a kind looking man who disappeared and whose family is absolutely desperate to find him. I have read over and over on Facebook - and felt myself - how quickly the relaxation and peace of the holiday break has evaporated and we are all back to this crazy hectic life we live every day. I find myself reading blog after blog about how to find peace in my life, how to appreciate myself, how to nurture the relationships I have, how to be everything to everyone while being everything to myself so that everyone around me gets everything from me.

In all honesty, it scares me. How much more can we all take on? Who and what is suffering because of the stress we feel? I don't have an answer. I keep reading things that frustrate me to my core..."Take time to do what you love." "If you are passionate about it, you should be doing it for a living." "If its a priority you will make time. If its not, you will make an excuse." What world do you live in???? There are bills to pay, things to take care of, and a real world to live in. Would my boss understand that the yoga classes around here are at the perfect times for stay-at-home moms so I will need to be "out of the office" from 10:30 - 12 every day because it will make me happy? Should I take the evening to go work out because its a priority or should I spend the evening with my family because it is a bigger priority? And then obviously I should feel guilty making the excuse that I haven't worked out because I am working full-time and spending the evening with my family. Is that right? "Put your phone down and go off the grid." But if I keep my phone with me, I might be able to love every minute of being the mom in the carpool line picking up Quinn from Kindergarten once in a while. Ok, you get my point. This is the dilemma that I think we all juggle every single day. It is the thing that sends us to the blogs looking for the answer. Again I will say...I definitely don't have the answer. I feel it just like you.

I am trying really hard to remember that total calm and peace I felt over the holiday break. I am trying to channel it for my beautiful kids and my kind, sweet husband...they deserve it. I am trying to take inspiration from the blogs I read. If I think of one sentiment over the course of a week then it was worth it. I am trying to be kind to my friends and family, appreciate them, love them, do what I can for them. I am trying to be patient with my kids, which doesn't always work, but my stress is not their fault. I am trying to just be happy. I am trying to not be hard on myself. I am trying to love love love those who have invested love in me. I am trying to channel the feeling I get from yoga even if I can't get to a real class. I am trying to be a great employee. I am trying to just be happy. I am trying to be really happy. Really, really happy. Life is so good.

I am trying to write it down so I can read it over and over.

The other night I thought about "cleaning house" on Facebook. As I looked through my friends, I realized that there is something that I like about each and every one of you and I will not "clean house." You make my life richer. I knew you at one time or another and I appreciate our friendship even if it is as simple as Facebook.

I hope for all of you that during 2012 you find happiness, calm, quiet, excitement, love, and whatever it is you need the most. Let's appreciate eachother, be really really interesting, and use eachother when we need.

Here's to 2012.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

I think you are, but what am I? No really...

I've been thinking a lot lately about how I measure myself - how we, especially as women, measure ourselves. Let's be honest, part of our genetic make-up as the feminine species insists that we constantly compare ourselves to those around us and, most likely, consider ourselves inferior at all times. Some of it is inate insecurity and some of it is inate humility. Imagine sitting down to lunch with a group of women, your super model neighbor walking in, and saying to your friends (who are undoubtedly admiring her put-together self), "What? I'm way prettier than her." Then your friends' dilemma would be who to hate more, the super model neighbor or you, right? I guess the conclusion I have come to is that comparing myself to other people is inevitable. I just have to make sure I do it in a healthy way. If you're saying to yourself, "I don't compare myself to other people," I am calling you out right now. I would put that in the same category a

"Life is so hard, ma'am. Life is so hard."

I lost it this morning. I seriously lost it. I lost it so badly that I posted this to Facebook: You know what gets me all fired up? The way so many white people treat black people here. I brought Miss to the eye doctor because she can't see. The optometrist is treating her like she's an idiot. Over my dead body will we be buying glasses here. I am absolutely FUMING right now!!!!! They are words that I mean and words that were not well thought out, words that were fueled by absolutely shock and frustration and more shock. Words and frustration that felt the same as if someone had insulted one of my children. I had a reaction that got my blood boiling so hard and fast that I consciously had to keep myself in my chair and say, “Jessie…don’t say anything stupid.” I thought of my grandma Doerfler…I know what she would have done. She would have told that woman WHERE.TO.GO. As tempted as I was, I didn’t. I made Miss an appointment to see the eye doctor because the poor woman can

Something stinks...

...and it’s your attitude lady! I got to pick Ben up a little early from preschool today so I decided it was FINALLY time to visit the Bryanston Organic Market that is right down the road from my house. Why haven't I been there yet? Probably because it’s so obvious. It’s right there. It’s too easy. Anyway, Quinn, Ben, and I made our way through the booths which were filled with lots of little treasures...very cool. After a nutritious lunch of organic chocolate chip cookies and organic gelato (I think we really tapped into the whole organic thing...eat well, live well, blah blah blah), the boys found a sandbox to play in. I reminded Ben not to eat or throw the sand and my accent caught the attention of a lady sitting on the edge of the sand with her granddaughter and Bad Attitude (sorry...didn't catch her name). Lady says, "Where are YOU from?" I say, "north of Chicago," which I have found to be much much easier than saying Wisconsin. No one outside of t