thunk

Ever feel like the universe is trying to get your attention? Sometimes with a two-by-four? That has happened to me recently.

It started with the book Enough is Enough that came into my life. I read it, it was interesting. Basic premise...we are not superwomen but we are somehow convinced that we need to be or at least not let anyone know we aren't. And we suffer for it.

Then I read this post by my dear friend K who mentioned another post.

Then a friend lent me a copy of Confessions of a Slacker Wife to read. BTW although I haven't finished the book I have to say it's very funny and now I will probably go ahead and read the prequel (if you will) Confessions of a Slacker Mom.

Okay, I think I'm getting the picture. All of this in one week is a lot to absorb. But it has made me sit down and realize just how much I'm trying to accomplish in any given day. My list is NEVER completely checked off. I always have far more to do than can be accomplished by anyone no matter how organized/efficient/super they are. For those of you who manage, I'm happy for you but I can't do it.

Of course in sitting down to think about all of this (and, I confess, write down exactly what I try to do in a day as referenced in "Enough is Enough") I've realized that I'm much better than I used to be. But I still have a long way to go. I've got to learn to ditch the expectations I place upon myself. I won't bore you with a long diatribe of all I used to do. I won't even bore you with what I do now, but I will say that I am working on being more focused on the necessary things in life.

Laundry, cooking, cleaning are definitely necessary. But perhaps I need to rethink how these things happen and learn to accept that sometimes the laundry piles up or we run out of milk. Volunteering for two school committees, to run a neighborhood function and two town projects, not necessary. Playing really bad basketball with my kids, totally necessary.

Being aware of all of this is probably the first step in the right direction. It's definitely time to give up blind acceptance of the message that society is trying to stuff down our throats about how we are supposed to appear. Private reality is always different than public view but I refuse to deem it necessary to apologize or feel guilty for the difference anymore.

Okay, down off my soapbox. But if you have any similar thoughts, or links to other places please post them for me and for those others who read this.