Spread too thin

Yesterday was my Birthday. I am 33. Today we were granted a snow day and a day off from work. Happy Birthday to me! Came after a pretty stressful week, so I am thankful. However I had committed to volunteering for an event, one that I really do enjoy and have volunteered for for the past five years. After getting up super early, packing Molly's bag and lunch and {pre}arranging for her to be shuffled around so that I could accommodate my plans for the day, I decided to cancel.  I did mull it over for about two hours before deciding to stay home, snuggle my girl, dance, drink tea, clean and organize the kitchen drawers {especially the junk drawer} and blog.

Yes... I wrote it!



It wasn't until I called my cousin Jill and heard it from her ears that I was spreading myself too thin as a working mom and that it was ok to cancel, that I could accept the fact that I was backing out. Actually I'm not sure that I fully have accepted it yet. I believe that if you say you are going to do something, you do it. Your word is your bond type thing. But you know what? It is ok. For today it is {going to have be} ok.

Have I been spreading myself too thin? I'm sure this is quite possible. I need to be more aware of my ongoing struggle to achieve life-work balance. I need to make it work, for me. I've accepted the fact that I am a working {outside of the home} mom. I am ok with that. I like my work. I make a good living. I enjoy what I do. And I provide for my family. I need to say no sometimes, especially when I say yes.

I had a friend, a career counselor and coach, who wrote her thesis on work-life balance and she taught me that you have to say no every time you say yes. It totally makes sense. If I say yes to working late, then I say no to coming home and being with my family. If I say no to volunteering for an event, then I say yes to spending the morning home with my girl. I owe it to myself to be more aware of this concept and to live this way more often. I can't always say yes and expect to have it all. Not going to work!

Happy International Women's Day!

 

Looking forward to a fun and sunny weekend here on Long Island. Have a good one all!