Feeling Less Busy in 2024
Life is hard. Life in your 40s is even harder because it’s the busiest chapter of your life thus far. Being busy in your 20s isn’t the same as being busy in your 30s, and by the time you’re in your 40s, you look back on the previous decades and laugh at what you used to call “busy.” My wife and I often chuckle, to ourselves of course, when younger generations talk about how swamped they are, and how tired they are because their schedules are so full.
By the way, I’m not saying those in their 20s and 30s shouldn’t acknowledge the strain of life, and how busy they feel. That overwhelmed feeling I felt at times in my 20s was real. The exhaustion I felt during certain stages of raising our young children when I felt completely lost and without a clue what I was doing, was hard. Life presents different sets of challenges at every age and stage. So, whatever stage you’re in, your feelings are valid because it’s all you know.
We Must Slow Down & Practice Self-Care
At this point in my journey, my wife and I both have full-time jobs, and side gigs. We have multiple teenagers all involved in different activities, and we both have aging parents who’ve had their share of health issues. Needless to say, we genuinely struggle to find the time for self-care, but it’s something we desperately need. Taking time to slow down and rest is crucial.
The truth is, all of us could use a hobby, or at least regularly scheduled events that bring us joy. Having things to look forward to is not only healthy, it’s necessary. Date nights, time to nurture our friendships, and time to invest in the things we’re passionate about recharges our batteries. Without them, we end up exhausted and burnt out. However, I’m guessing we would all agree it’s tough to fit everything into our schedules, right? Well, my goal is to help us reorient towards the things we tend to forget, or simply neglect, and help us prioritize the things we so desperately need.
Helping Each Other Find Our Way
We tend to wait until life is completely overwhelming before we take a break or ask for help. Why? Life is hard enough without adding to the difficulties by failing to take care of ourselves. The hard days tend to demand most of our attention if we let them, causing more stress and anxiety. Wounds from our past will continue causing future pain if we don’t deal with them now. So, why put it off any longer? Healing and growth is hard work, but it’s necessary work. So, let’s get after it!
The decor of my site uses maps, compasses, and all things navigation related because we all need help finding our way. Sticking with that theme, I’d like to map out the coming year, providing some structure (for the planners) while also leaving some room for spontaneity (for those with wanderlust). Having a general idea where we’re headed will keep us moving towards the goal of taking better care of ourselves, but each quarter will have a different theme, giving us something to look forward to as we navigate the upcoming year, together!
Our map for 2024:
- January – March: Reflection and Renewal
- April – June: Rebirth and Growth
- July – September: Adventure and Rediscovery
- October – December: Wisdom and Gratitude
I’ll provide as many resources as I can based on the topics we’re discussing throughout the year, and if you come across something that’s been helpful to you, I’d love to hear about it. Send an email or post it to the Facebook page! That goes for particular struggles you might be dealing with as well. When a particular question comes to mind, let us all know so we can offer help.
Even though I’m organizing the content, my hope is that this will turn into a dialogue. This blog will be most beneficial if we’re all engaged and helping each other. Selfishly, I want to hear your stories too, because I want to learn from you!
I hope you’ll join us in this journey!