J Is For Juggling

Before you even get started, if you want to read something on the same topic, but written so much better than I could ever dream of writing, go here.  It's fine.  My ramblings and I will be here when you are finished.  Moving on...

I've always loved a full calendar.  There was just something about writing in the appointments of my teen and college life in onto each pristine month that just made it all so official.  Even though I now enter most of them into my phone, my love for overbooking myself...er, keeping myself busy endures.  I, too, am a first-born, people pleasing, overachiever.

But here's the truth of the whole thing...I am the girl who can't seem to say no.  (And not in a fun way! tee hee!)  And the really confusing thing is that I'm not really that great at juggling it all.  It will all get done, and it will probably all be fine, but I routinely bite off more than I can chew.  And then feel lousy and stressed, and take it out on perfectly lovely people.  And I wish I knew how to stop. 

I get that the simple answer is to just say no more.  I wish it were that easy.  It seems like my job and pretty much every area of my life demands a little more of my time with each passing day.  And I don't even have a husband and kids.  (Seriously, ladies, I don't know how you do it!)

Since I live my life in school years and not calendar years, my goal for the 2012-13 year is to live in the present more.  I want to prepare ahead as much as I can so that when the big events come, I can spend my time enjoying them instead of stressing about them.  This is just one of the reasons why I have decided not to work an extra job this summer, even though I have been offered a couple different options.  The money is nice, but my sanity is more valuable.

Am I the only one who does this?  Surely not.  Make me feel better about myself in the comments.  (ha!)