Happy last week of summer, everyone!
I (Amanda) am feeling the passage of time this week– looking at pictures of past summer vacations reminds me that my kids are getting older everyday. While there are some exciting parts about their newfound independence (I am now playing pickleball regularly!), I am also missing who they were at this time last year.
One of my greatest worries is not allowing myself time to be fully present with my kids when they are 6, 9, and 12. I worry that planning, social media, or, well, worrying will get in the way of me being fully with my family through all of our ups and downs.
So I am using this sadness and anxiety to motivate me to be more intentional about my time. For me, this means putting time into my schedule specifically to plan, journal, and worry. It is in my calendar everyday for 20 minutes– 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the afternoon. And when that time is over, I close my planner/journal/that part of my brain, and I move on to bigger and better things… like playing Sardines in the Boar’s Head parking lot with my kids. Whenthe part of my brain that wants to think about no bus driver this fall creeps up, I remind myself that I can think about that problem tonight and jump right back into searching for Wes (who was hiding under the porch).
This strategy has been a gift to my life, you all. I sleep better, relate better, and problem-solve better. Most importantly, I know that I am actively working on being 100% in with my loved ones everyday. And, no matter if I get there or not, I’m proud that I’m at least working on it.
Give it a try and let me know what you think. And, again, happy August!
