On November 26th, I’ll be back in the capable hands of surgeon extraordinaire, Dr. Alan Ng. Seems my right foot was jealous of all the attention my left foot received last year and wanted some bling of it’s very own.
I’m not writing this post for sympathy or to whine about needing surgery. Hell, no. There’s a point – I promise.
I’ve been spending some time this week rescheduling and canceling appointments already booked for later this year and letting my personal training clients know that I’ll be on hiatus for a bit.
Yeah, so – what’s the point?
Here’s what I found so very interesting during this process. Several of these folks said they were jealous (yes, jealous). Jealous of having a black belt in karate and master of Muay Thai kickboxing (yes, my surgeon is totally badass) voluntarily break your foot and pin it back together, resulting in 4 to 6 weeks on crutches (or a kneeling scooter) and another 6 or so weeks in a walking cast? Wow!
One of my friends, let’s call her Tina, said – maybe I should go and have a tummy tuck. I could really use some down time. No shit – exact words.
Perhaps you’re thinking the same thing – ah, a much needed break from the craziness of life. Some time to sit on the couch and read and let someone else schlep the kids around to football or dance class.
To be perfectly honest, after hearing the news, I thought, oh good, I’ll finally have some time to work on those big projects I keep putting off and read those books that are piling up and listen to my favorite podcasts and …
Yep, add me to the list – I’m guilty too!
So, what the hell is going on? Why don’t we take the time necessary to reflect, recharge and breathe? Why do we need a big reason, like surgery, to justify a break?
I suspect it has to do with our high tech, 24/7, super-sized, fast paced culture. I’m only 37 (38 in 2 weeks, Scorpio power!), but I can still remember when stores were closed on Sundays and what life was like before email, the internet, texting (please, I beg you, don’t text me) and cell phones. I sometimes long for those days. Lordie, I sound like my grandmother.
It’s not just the adults, it’s the kids too. It’s not uncommon for a 9 or 10 year old to be involved in 3 or 4 sports in addition to piano lessons, scouts and church activities. What happened to water balloon fights and playing tag in the neighborhood? I rarely see kids playing outside these days. Except for the new family across the street. Those kiddos are outside all day. It’s so refreshing.
So what do we do?
We begin by looking at all of our commitments and asking some honest questions. Is this really necessary? Do I really want to do this? Is this fun?
I love the last question. I recently read Richard Branson’s, Screw It Let’s Do It (highly recommend and only $3.91 on kindle). If you’re unfamiliar with Sir Richard, he’s the guy who made a fortune dreaming big and doing things he’s passionate about (music, air & space travel) all while having a blast. Here’s a recent Facebook post:
While reading his book, this particular passage stood out:
“As soon as something stops being fun, I think it’s time to move on. Life is too short to be unhappy. Waking up stressed and miserable is not a good way to live.”
If your feeling a little overwhelmed, start here. Make a list of all of your voluntary commitments and ask yourself one simple question – is this fun?
It’s a good place to start and it sure beats foot surgery.
More to come on this topic. Lots more – stay tuned.