- Free up time. Find ways to free up time for the important stuff. That means eliminating the stuff you don’t like, cutting back on time wasters, and making room for what you want to do.
- Do what you love. Once you’ve freed up some time, be sure to spend that extra time doing things you love. Go back to your list of 4-5 important things. Do those, and nothing else.
For years, I have been finding ways to make time for things that are important to me and to make sure that the time I do spend is on things that I truly love. About 12 or 13 years ago, I discovered a book called The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. While I am not the devoted follower of The Artist's Way that I used to be, I have certainly embedded some of its principles into my psyche forever. I can say that many of my current life choices such as being an Expressive Arts Therapist, having the loving husband that I have, being the mother I am, my love of sewing, living in Massachusetts would may not have happened if it were not for The Artist's Way...however no matter what changes you do make life is always a work in progress.
We have a wall hanging in our dining room that says, "Happiness is NOT a destination...its a way of life." This is how I feel about having free time and doing what you love. Having a life that is authentic which to me means being true to who you really are is ultimately about happiness. Throughout my life, when I get too wrapped up in whatever - work, motherhood, housework, fun, family, I get unbalanced. When I lose sight of me, I lose the ability to be at my best. I am at my best when I have the time to do the things that I love.
I love my son, my husband, my Self, my family, my occupation, my job(s), my hobbies, my health, my friends, my creativity, nature, music, the arts, traveling, cooking, food, movies, GLEE, long drives, Fall afternoons, going out to dinner, apple picking, zoos, sunsets, the ocean, taking pictures, seeing a live concert, painting, sewing, coffee, spinning classes, yoga, cartoons, wine, hosting parties, wrapping presents, cupcakes, reading books, Broadway musicals, vampires, ironing clothes, fabric, shoe shopping, etc. As you can see there are a lot of things that I love.
Today I had the time to do a bunch of things I love and they did involve a few of the things on the above list. Of course I wish there were more than 24 hours in a day and that my body required less sleep....oh sleep I LOVE sleep but ultimately at this point I am content with the way things are....most days. Time and love are always on my mind and I am always rearranging my time to make sure I can do or get back to doing things that I love.
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