A Secret to Success as a Working Mom: Turn Burn Out Into Bliss and Embrace Joy

on
Last weekend my youngest was committed to going to the "Water Steps" a man-made water fall in Pittsburgh by the rivers. (Fun Fact: Three rivers converge in Pittsburgh--The Ohio River, The Monongahela River, and the Allegheny River.)  He kept asking. I knew he was serious when he said, "If you won't take me, I'll ask  daddy!" Given that it was highly unlikely that would happen on an unscheduled day, I relented. So, we went. It wasn’t planned in the way most things in my life are. No calendar block. No checklist. No “productive” purpose attached. And, so in some respects it was uncomfortable. And yet, it seemed necessary. It was the idea of my 8-year-old—offered with the kind of urgency only children possess when something is profoundly important to them.
0

The Fountain of Youth is Inside of You...

on

Spring is busting out all over! I live in Pittsburgh so spring is always a welcome relief from the frigid winter. However, my excitement is fueled by more than sunshine.

Recently, my spirit has been renewed and I have an expectancy that I haven't felt in years. For a while my life had become a series of uninterrupted sameness. I worked. I came home. I shopped. I even fit in socializing, travel and dating. However, nothing really distinguished one week from the next. Even though by all accounts my life was good, it was kind of boring. And the boredom made me feel old.

Today I have a confession. I feel as if I have located the fountain of youth that so eluded Ponce de Leon. Because I have great affection for anyone who reads this blog, I will share what I’ve learned. The fountain of youth is inside of you...

1) Don't get in a rut. Keep things fresh by not being afraid to try new things. Get active. I am training for a marathon. While that is not required, you should get moving. Rigor mortis is a consequence of death. However, movement signals life. So, take a walk. Get the blood flowing. Your outlook, and appearance, will improve.

2) Take care of yourself. Fatigue and illness ages you. I recently learned that friend gets winded by walking up a flight of stairs. It’s no accident that she also feels old. So, make a commitment to your health. I am a witness. I’ve been taking my vitamins, getting rest, and doing things that I enjoy. I feel like a teenager!

3) Fall in love with something or somebody. When you are in love, it shows. I have previously written about my love of running. It makes my eyes brighter, my skin more lustrous, and it makes me smile. Falling in love with a person has the same effect.

4) Discover your passion. Passion fuels our spirits. Our jobs can get mundane, that is why pay us. You can’t feel young, if you spend most of your time doing involuntary “chores”. Do something that you enjoy so much that you'll do it for free. This blog has helped me incorporate my passion for writing into my life. It has made my life more fun. And that has made all of the difference.

5) Don't stop believing. Hope is the source of life. Children greet each day with hope and it makes them radiant. As we age, we lose our glow because we stop believing in the promise of each day. We will begin to shine again if we simply become more hopeful.

Try the five things above. You will will feel more energetic, happier and younger. And, you will have the best Spring ever. I already am!
Enhanced by Zemanta

Comments

Post a Comment