Friday seems to be a very celebrated day. TGIF.
Is there a reason you do what you do all week long? For the 2 years before traveling, Nate and I had the 9-5 job for a very specific reason: to not have a 9-5. We didn't brush off the job itself, but used it to fuel our motivation. We picked specific moments to be included in our week days and weekends so we didn't just live for the weekend. Often times, that meant keeping our calendar clear - intentionally leaving the nights open for us to be. It meant turning down some enjoyable activities so we could be fully ourselves at one activity versus a stressed version of ourselves at many. Now that we are both working again, the paycheck holds a lot of weight for us. It'll provide for our baby and pay for a roof of our own. But neither of us jumped into our roles for that reason alone. I picked a place where they do important work and I was upfront in the interview that the character of the people I work with is important. Nate knew his priority was more time outdoors. Although the options seemed limited, he sent out some emails and found a company who provides a small variety of outdoor services year-round. Pick a reason. Pick a reason to enjoy what you do with your time, whether you are getting paid for it or not. Allow yourself to back away from those things that are great, but stretch yourself too thin. Others may appreciate the best version of yourself, not your half-absent-present self. I'd love to see communities support the balance time: saying no even if time technically allows. When someone is not able to make it to something important, they may be doing exactly what they need to do: recharging in their own way. We're all different. Time is a valuable resource; don't overspend your own!
