One of the more enjoyable topics of 2020 has been “silver linings.” In what unexpected ways are you benefitting from the life changes and disruptions of social distancing? (Not a rhetorical question. Drop it in the comments.)
Personally, I am grateful for being able to work from home. I can hug my family between sessions, “cowork” with my first- and third-graders while I’m doing admin work, avoid traffic, and start dinner in the Instant Pot on my lunch break.
As we head into the holiday season, I encourage all of you to take full advantage of the 2020 excuse to “do less.” The holidays are often a time of pressure to live up to traditions, visit and please extended family, and make it the “best year yet” for our kids.
Can we all agree that 2020 is not the best year yet? Great. Pressure removed.
Seriously, if there has ever been a year to phone in the holidays or just try something different, this is it. Enjoy!
In what ways will you scale back? Will you be relieved to skip holiday airports? Will you tell your kids to expect less presents? Did you order all the holiday sides instead of prep and cook for four days?
On the other hand, maybe your house has been an explosion of holiday decorations since Halloween. Maybe tedious cooking is your happy place. That’s cool, too!
The point is just to smash all the rules and give yourself the compassion and grace to just be how you want to be.
How I Almost Blew My Chance with My Now Husband – and Why It Feels Like that Time Again
The inspiration for “Do Less” comes from consciously saying “no” to an opportunity recently. The publishers of “The Postpartum Depression Workbook” reached out to me to write a new book on self-care. I would have had to write it over December and January. And while I was tempted, I realized the irony of consciously sacrificing all of my self-care and sanity in order to write it. I figure it’s better to practice what you preach!
It reminded me of when I met my husband and nearly blew my chances of ever dating. When we met on a project, he asked me what I did. I started rattling off graduate school, side hustles, creative pursuits, etc… He followed with the casual inquiry, “You sound too busy to have a significant other.” I was so focused on my busyness that I replied, “Yes, I’m also doing… “ totally letting it slip over my head that this cute guy wanted to know if I was available.
My reminder to myself (and to all of you) is to not let busyness (and business) get in the way of noticing and loving those around you, taking time to rest, and taking time to just be.
Even if I am the poster child for work-life balance this week thanks to Shoutout SoCal, I am still constantly juggling. I’m trying to take this season as a time of rest.
In solidarity in the never-ending, never-perfect pursuit of the semblence of balance,
Abby
While You Are Here
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p.p.s.
Quick thanks to Shoutout SoCal, for featuring me and the theme of work-life balance. You can see their feature here. (It’s the lead story on their main page this week.)
What are your thoughts?