My Work Life Balance Ah Ha Moment

Being relatively new at my job, I didn't realize the importance of scheduling vacation at the end of the year.  If you do, you do not end up teaching a class during Christmas week.  I didn't so there I was on Christmas Eve teaching a group of new hires the ins and outs of their job.  My job isn't at all like work. I love what I do and I immensely enjoy being in front of people helping them develop professionally.  Yet it 'tis the season and I was at work which meant I had to make some hard decisions.  And it ended up being the best holiday for me – something I didn't realize until it was over.

First, I tend to shop early and I did so this year; however, in the past I would still end up thinking "I don't have enough" and run out at the last minute to join the throngs I so desperately wanted to avoid.  This year I decided I had to be satisfied with what I had.  I wrapped what I purchased and put it under the tree.  Since the world is still spinning, I guess what I did was good enough.

Next, I ordered Christmas dinner.  I had a catered spiral ham and all the sides plus two desserts.  I pressed one microwave button to heat things up and I set the table.  Voila!  My Christmas dinner was a hit and I actually enjoyed it as I wasn't too tired to eat.

Since I only had Christmas Day off, I did the things I enjoy. I attended Mass on Christmas Eve so I spent the morning with my girls laughing and opening gifts.  Later that day, I visited with family.  It was an awesome day and I did the things I enjoy instead of trying to 'fit in' multiple visits to things I half-like.

When it was all over, at first I felt like I blinked and it was gone.  But truthfully, even if I had weeks off to prepare, it would still go by in a flash.  Life is like that…time keeps moving whether you are sitting still or up and around.  Being that I had so little time, I was able to ensure I did what I liked and I did away with what I didn’t such as cooking and frantically running around town.

On Christmas night, I pulled out Jesus Calling from the pile of books near my bed.  I began reading it nightly again and I soon realized my spirit was calm.  This never happens after a holiday. Usually, I have a sense of sadness or feel let down. But that's because the one thing I didn't do in the past was nourish my spirit. This year I did, even though it was kinda by accident.  But it paid off immensely.  I had a Christmas to remember and I rekindled a spiritual connection that I hadn't been feeling for quite some time.  Isn't that what Christmas is all about?

---