One Bite At A Time
Last year, a big trend on Twitter was #oneword2018, and I wrote a blog about choosing my word (if you are interested, here is the direct link to that blog. Spoiler alert: I picked RISE). So here we are, a year later, and I find myself reflecting on my 2018 choice and looking to choosing 2019's one word.
I read a book a few years ago called, "I Don't Know How She Does It." The book was delightful. Apparently, there is also a movie too (not so shockingly, if you know me, I have not seen it. I have not seen many movies. It's actually a "thing"--people like to rattle off titles of cult classics then gasp in awe as I continue to shake my head no). In the story, people continuously say to the main character, "I don't know how you do it!" while referencing her working, being a wife, and a mom. At the beginning of the book, this working mom is bringing in treats to her kid's class. She buys pre-made treats, then feeling inferior to stay-at-home-moms that bake everything from scratch, she breaks the corners of the scones (or whatever it was), so they looked homemade and not store-bought. Not that I would do this--people would prefer me to purchase treats and not bake them myself--this part of the story just stuck with me.
People sometimes say the same thing to me. I say it to my working mom friends, my stay-at-home-mom friends (seriously, how do you do it?). The ones that run their own business, the ones that volunteer tirelessly at our school, the ones that coach and teach our kids; those that have a long commute, the ones that work from home (what self-control you have to actually get work done!), those that are finishing a degree, or work an afternoon shift; those of you still having babies and doing that whole newborn thing, some of you caregivers for aging parents and finding your role reversed. I don't know how you do it.
But it's probably like you eat an entire elephant. One bite at a time.
So, drumroll, my #oneword2019 is "Complete." I love my job, I love my family, I love my parish, and when there is time, I love doing things I like to do too. I want to be the best part of all those things without sacrificing another. I want to be great at my job, without missing too much time with my family (which is why you often see my daughters at basketball and soccer games, band concerts, or standing in the Upper Campus circle with me, waiting for me to bring them to school in the morning). I want to dedicate more time to volunteering and contributing to my parish. I want to cook more, forget about the laundry in the washer less, and be in better shape (spending 6 weeks in that boot brace did not help my love-hate relationship with exercise). I want to be a support to my teachers and a resource to our students and parents. I want to read more books and soak up every ounce of sun in the summer. I want to do all those things, and be more immersed when I do them. I need to quit multi-tasking all.the.time. and be a better listener, and enjoy all of those things (except the laundry, that's never going to be enjoyable). To be complete. I don't know how I'm going to do it. One moment at a time.
What's your #oneword2019?
I read a book a few years ago called, "I Don't Know How She Does It." The book was delightful. Apparently, there is also a movie too (not so shockingly, if you know me, I have not seen it. I have not seen many movies. It's actually a "thing"--people like to rattle off titles of cult classics then gasp in awe as I continue to shake my head no). In the story, people continuously say to the main character, "I don't know how you do it!" while referencing her working, being a wife, and a mom. At the beginning of the book, this working mom is bringing in treats to her kid's class. She buys pre-made treats, then feeling inferior to stay-at-home-moms that bake everything from scratch, she breaks the corners of the scones (or whatever it was), so they looked homemade and not store-bought. Not that I would do this--people would prefer me to purchase treats and not bake them myself--this part of the story just stuck with me.
People sometimes say the same thing to me. I say it to my working mom friends, my stay-at-home-mom friends (seriously, how do you do it?). The ones that run their own business, the ones that volunteer tirelessly at our school, the ones that coach and teach our kids; those that have a long commute, the ones that work from home (what self-control you have to actually get work done!), those that are finishing a degree, or work an afternoon shift; those of you still having babies and doing that whole newborn thing, some of you caregivers for aging parents and finding your role reversed. I don't know how you do it.
But it's probably like you eat an entire elephant. One bite at a time.
So, drumroll, my #oneword2019 is "Complete." I love my job, I love my family, I love my parish, and when there is time, I love doing things I like to do too. I want to be the best part of all those things without sacrificing another. I want to be great at my job, without missing too much time with my family (which is why you often see my daughters at basketball and soccer games, band concerts, or standing in the Upper Campus circle with me, waiting for me to bring them to school in the morning). I want to dedicate more time to volunteering and contributing to my parish. I want to cook more, forget about the laundry in the washer less, and be in better shape (spending 6 weeks in that boot brace did not help my love-hate relationship with exercise). I want to be a support to my teachers and a resource to our students and parents. I want to read more books and soak up every ounce of sun in the summer. I want to do all those things, and be more immersed when I do them. I need to quit multi-tasking all.the.time. and be a better listener, and enjoy all of those things (except the laundry, that's never going to be enjoyable). To be complete. I don't know how I'm going to do it. One moment at a time.
What's your #oneword2019?
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