Slowing Down to Smell the Roses

Time is something we clearly do not have enough of, so how do we make the most of the time that we have?

Lately I have been faced with my Maternity leave coming close to an end. I have two months left to stay home with my children and I am not going to lie – my greatest fear is not going back to work. It is to look back on the year that I had off and feel regret that I did not do the things I wanted to do.

The last 10 months have brought about many changes to my life. I have developed a routine regarding my health that involves daily exercise and healthier eating.

I did not think that I would EVER be someone who was excited to sweat each day but that has become the new me.

I have started reading some amazing books and even finished reading a couple from cover to cover.

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I am here each day before and after school for my kids.

I have got better with my own self care and sustaining important relationships in my life.

I have learned how to budget money better and I have appreciated sunrises more than ever.

So I look at the list of things that I have accomplished in the last 10 months and wonder why I feel like I need to change more.

I look at the 8 weeks I have left before I go back to work and wonder, “what else can I do?”

I wonder and feel anxious at times that it is coming to an end and I realize that I know what I have to work on.

I have to work on appreciating TODAY. Living for today. Living one day at a time.

We live in these crazy busy event money driven lives where we go go go and collapse at the end of the day. We live an “I wish I had…..” mentality instead of a “grateful for what I have” mentality. This is something I am working to change and this is something I pray for other busy parents to acknowledge and work on.

Life is so short and needs to be cherished, but often it is only when a tragedy strikes that we see this clearly. So am deciding to realize and appreciate without the tragedy. I am going to make a conscious effort to stop and smell the roses. I know it will take some work and lots of changes of thinking but something I have learned over the last 10 months is – I am worth it.

So my challenge to you is to stop and listen, stop and be still; stop and say thank you for what you have NO matter how exhausted you are. Stop and appreciate what you have instead of focusing on what we don’t.

I am going to try to practice that for the remainder of my time at home with the hope and prayer that it will simply become who I am without as much effort.