BRING BACK JOY AND EASE

Growing up, I preferred concrete to grass. I didn't walk barefoot, I didn't open my window, and I preferred to stay in my bedroom when I wasn't at school, cheerleading, or some other indoor sport. ___ I was just too tired by the end of my day to enjoy anything other than my room... and if this sounds familiar, raise your hand 🙋🏻 ___ This workaholic mindset stayed with me until I started living in Hawaii. Now I watch the sun rise and set. I look up at the stars and stare at the moon. I swim in the salt water and connect with the earth. I've let go of the hustle and I'm learning how to bring balance into my work life with play. ___ In retrospect, I used to create so much stress by setting high standards and rigid work expectations; I'd push myself to multiple all-nighters, attend back to back to back events, and set meeting times that would put me in a frenzy because there just wasn't enough time in the day. ___ Yes, I had deadlines and expectations to meet, but I realized that I was the one choosing to accept the chaos; so I decided to let go of my ego, admitted when something was unrealistic, and created a boundary with my time and energy. ___ Once I decided to take control of my work boundaries, I was able to execute the same high standards with a lot more time to enjoy life. ___ If you resonate with this post, do yourself a favor and just breathe. Things will get done, maybe not as quickly, but they will get done. Choose how you spend your time and bring joy/ease back into your workday because you're not here to work, you're here to live.